Medieval Philosophy: A New History of Western Philosophy, Volume 2
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Author Description
Sir Anthony Kenny continues his magisterial new history of Western philosophy with a fascinating guide through more than a millennium of thought from 400 AD onwards, charting the story of philosophy from the founders of Christian and Islamic thought through to the Renaissance.The middle ages saw a great flourishing of philosophy, and the intellectual endeavour of the era reaches its climax in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, with the systems of the great schoolmen such as Thomas Aquinas and John Duns Scotus. Specially written for a broad popular readership, but serious and deep enough to offer a genuine understanding of the great philosophers, Kenny's lucid and stimulating history will become the definitive work for anyone interested in the people and ideas that shaped the course of Western thought.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This volume investigates the evolution of Western philosophical thought from the early Christian and Islamic traditions through the intellectual developments of the Renaissance. Anthony Kenny, a distinguished philosopher and academic, utilizes a thematic and chronological framework to synthesize complex medieval arguments into an accessible narrative. He argues that the medieval period represents a significant flourishing of logic, metaphysics, and theology, rather than a stagnation of thought.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of major figures including Thomas Aquinas, John Duns Scotus, and Augustine of Hippo.
- Examination of the intersection between Christian, Islamic, and Jewish philosophical traditions.
- Exploration of core medieval topics such as the nature of God, logic, and the soul.
Scope Limits
- The text focuses primarily on Western and Mediterranean intellectual traditions, excluding Eastern philosophical developments.
- It provides a broad historical overview rather than an exhaustive line-by-line commentary on every primary source text.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts and academic reviewers frequently highlight this work as a foundational text for students and general readers seeking a clear entry point into medieval thought. Readers often note the balance between scholarly rigor and the accessible prose style that characterizes Kenny's broader historical project.
Page Count:
353
Publication Date:
2007-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191622532
ISBN-13:
9780191622533
Philosophy
History
Non-Fiction
Intellectual History
