John Marenbon Books

This book offers a major reassessment of the philosophy of Peter Abelard (1079-1142), which shows that he was a far more constructive and wider-ranging thinker than has usually been supposed. It combines detailed historical discussion, based on published and manuscript sources, with philosophical analysis that aims to make clear Abelard's central arguments about the nature of things, language and the mind, and about morality. Although the book concentrates on these philosophical questions, it places them within their theological and wider intellectual context.

Focusing on the Carolingian Renaissance, this study explores the emergence of philosophical thought in the late eighth century, highlighting how theologians began to engage with logical inquiry. Key themes such as essence, the Aristotelian Categories, and the problem of Universals are examined through the works of significant figures like Alcuin and John Scottus Eriugena. The author utilizes a fresh analysis of manuscript sources and provides critical editions of previously unpublished early medieval philosophical texts, shedding light on the intellectual environment of the time.

In this book John Marenbon discusses the extraordinary breadth of medieval philosophy as written by Christians in Greek and Latin, Muslims in Arabic and by Jews in Hebrew, from c. 500 to c. 1550. He considers important factors such as where and when it took place, its social setting and its links with religion.

Exploring the multifaceted influence of Peter Abelard, this work delves into his philosophical contributions across four dimensions: his historical predecessors, the context of his writings, their impact through the seventeenth century, and their relevance in contemporary philosophical discourse. John Marenbon, a prominent medieval philosophy scholar, offers fresh interpretations that illuminate Abelard's enduring significance and the evolution of his thought, making it a vital resource for understanding both the past and present of philosophical inquiry.