f^frrninnamvfuv^ii^ 3 1924 102 136 409 DATE DUE 1 i The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924102136409 SCHOLASTICISM OLD AND NEW Vetera Novis Augere. SCHOLASTICISM OLD AND NEW AN INTRODUCTION TO SCHOLASTIC PHILOSOPHY MEDIEVAL AND MODEKN BY M. DE WULF DOCTOR OF LAWS, l.ciCTOR OF PHILOSOPHy AND LETTERS, PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUVAIN TRANSLATED BY P. COFFEY, D.Ph. PROFESSOR UF PllILOSOPilV, MAISOOTH COLLtOB, IRELAND Jublin M H. GILL & SON, Lm LONGMANS, GREEN & 00. 39 PATBKNOSTEK EOW BOMBAV AND CALCUTTA. 1910 Printed and Bound in Ireland, ^3f ; PEEFATOEY NOTE. My object in translating Professor De Wulf's Introduction a la Philosophie Neo-scolastique has been fourfold : firstly, to give tlie advocates and supporters of " modern " systems of philosopby, as opposed " to scholasticism" —whether in its medieval or in its modern form—an opportunity of obtaining better and more authentic information about the latter system than books in English are usually found to contain ; secondly, to help students of scholastic philosophy to take in the main principles of schol- asticism in one connected view, and to equip them with a more accurate historical and critical appre- ciation of the system than they are ever hkely to derive from an unaided study of stereotyped manuals thirdly, to give aU Enghsh readers interested in philosophy of whatsoever kind an insight into the meaning, the spirit and the progress of the move- ment which has been developing during the last quarter of a century for the revival of scholastic philosophy ; fourthly, to prepare the way for trans- lations or adaptations of the Louvain Cours de philosophie, and to draw attention to the vahie of the work already done and hkely to be done in the well-known Belgian centre of the new scholasticism. VI PREFATORY NOTE For information on this latter point I may be permitted to refer the reader to the Appendix at the end of the present volume. The utility of the book will, it is hoped, be further enhanced by the Index and the Analytical Table of Contents. The reader's kind indulgence is claimed for the many defects of a work accomplished during irregular intervals in the discharge of more pressing duties. THE TRANSLATOR. Maynooth, August, 1907. AUTHOR'S PREFACE. Under the title of Introduction to Philosophy there have been pubUshed in recent years, and more especially in Germany," works of a general character, some of which merely deal with questions preparatory to the study of philosophy, while others contain a doctrinal resume as well. From the nature of things those " Introductions " serve to introduce only one definite system of philosophy—^that which has the author's preferences. It seems likely that a work of this kind, devoted to both medieval and modern scholastic philosophy, will interest not merely those who are already acquainted with scholastic doctrines, but even all who are trying to follow the march of contemporary thought. Whatever may be its extent and dura- tion, the scholastic revival represents at the present time, and will represent in the annals of the Twen- tieth Century, an intellectual movement that may not be ignored. We still encounter quite a crowd of prejudices regarding modern scholasticism, and many ' Paulsen Aufl., For example : Einleitung in die Pkilosophie by (7 Leipzig, by Wundt Aufl., Aufl., 1898) ; (2 Berlin, 1901) ; by Kulpe (2 Aufl., Leipzig, 1902) ; by Hans Leipzig, 1902) ; by Jerusalem {2 in die Philosophie der reinen Cornelius (Leipzig, 1902) ; Einleitung Einleitung in die Philosophie Erfahrung by J. Petzoldt (Leipzig, 1899) ; der Gegenwart by Riehl (Leipzig, 1903)- VIU AUTHOR S PREFACE talk about it without understanding it. On tlie other hand, much that is exact and even suggestive, in its regard, has gained currency at different times and places of late ; and it is not altogether easy to collect and compare these later views and to weigh their respective merits. The object of the present work is to meet and combat false conceptions, to co-ordinate true notions, and so to furnish the reader with some general information on the new scholasticism. The author has adopted quite a summary method. He has merely traced the outlines, raised and stated the problems, but he does not claim to have noticed all the points of view which the subject-matter admits of. Intro- duction to Scholastic Philosophy being here synonymous with presentation, preparation, the developments of the different questions treated or simply referred to, must be sought in special treatises. He earnestly hopes that the present volume may prove an eflS.ca- cious invitation to its readers to undertake a personal and deeper study of modern scholastic philosophy. To form an idea of what the new scholastic philosophy is, one must evidently know what the scholasticism of the Middle Ages was, for the former is only a revival and adaptation of the latter. The two parts of the present work are therefore called for by the very nature of the subject. " The first part, strictly historical, will " introduce the reader to this old scholastic monument—to the discredit of which so much has been spoken and written, but which, resembling in so many ways the AUTHOR S PREFACE IX majestic cathedrals of the Middle Ages, decidedly gains by being visited and seen in detail. The second part will point out the meaning of the attempted restoration and adaptation of this edifice to our own time. In 1899 we published a brochure entitled : What ? is Scholastic Philosophy ' which we have been requested on many sides to reprint. Most of the ideas in that little work will be found here completely recast and developed. We also reproduce, in different places, the theories expressed in an article in the Revue Philosophique of June, 1902, entitled : Notion de la scolastique. At the same time we have taken occasion to reply to various criticisms,* and to give an appreciation of recent works that have put forth general views on the Middle Ages. The reader will accordingly find a fair number of additional ideas on medieval philosophy, supplementing our previous publications. The two parts of this work correspond like diptyohs : the author has tried to compare, point by point, the ideas of the past with those of the present. The new scholasticism is more extensive than the old, being a development and growth of its doctrine : Vetera novis augere. But, on the other hand, though the new scholasticism is already constructed in its main outlines it has yet to be perfected in numerous ^ " Qu'est-ce-que la philosophie scolastique?" ' Directed against our manner of comprehending scholastic philo- sophy, a propos of our Histoire de la philosophie midiivale (Louvain, 1900; 2nd edition, enlarged and revised, 1905). X AUTHOR S PREFACE details. For those two reasons the second part of the work contains a larger number of separate sketches than the first. Many of the doctrines here dealt with form the subject-matter of the teaching and publications of our colleagues of the Philosophical Institute. We have been happy to make use of those works. Certain developments of Section 15 are borrowed from the conferences of M. de Lantsheere on the sources of Modern Philosophy. Sections 26, 28, 29, 30 are inspired by the recent well known and widely appre- ciated works of MM. D. Mercier and D. Nys : foot- notes will remind the reader in those places. We may say in conclusion that our exposition of the new scholastic doctrine contains at the same time the programme of instruction which the Louvain Institute of Philosophy has outlined for itself and is endeavouring to carry out. M. DE WULF. Louvain, Christmas, 1903. CONTENTS Translator's Prefatory Note Author's Preface Vll Table of Contents . xi PART I MEDIEVAL SCHOLASTIC PHILOSOPHY CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY NOTIONS 1. The Common Acceptation of the Term Scholasticism, Vague and Unfavourable ..... (I. Vagueness of Term , 2. Modern Contempt for Scholas- ticism since Renaissance ; Recent Reaction ; 3. Need of Clearness about Scholasticism.) 2. The Point at Issue—A Mistake to be Avoided " " (4. Scholasticism is a Philosophy ; 5- Scholastic Philo- sophy and Scholastic Theology ; 6. Samples of to Scholasticism— Definitions ; 7. Application Plan of Chapter.) " " 3. Scholasticism, the Daughter of the Schools 13 " " (8. The Word Scholasticus , g. Hauriau's Definition ; 10. Picavet's Definition: 11. Criticism: 12. Com- parison with Definitions of " Middle Ages.") Methods 4. Scholastic ....... 19 (13. Constructive and Pedagogical : 14. Constructive Method before and after the XIII. Century ; 15. Uniformity of Pedagogical Methods ; i6. Uniformity of Programme ; 17. Characteristics of Teaching i the Commentary: 18. Systematic Exposition: 19. The Triadic Scheme of Treatment: 20. The Syllogism: 21. History of Philosophy : 22. Mixture of Philosophy and Theology.) 5. Definitioi. of Scholasticism by its Methods 3t (23. By its Language , 24. By the Syllogism : 25. Scholas- ticisin as mere Systematization.) X31 CO.MKXTS PAGE 6. ScHOT.ASTic Philosophy and Medieval Philosophy . 37 (26. Co}! fusion of Scholastic with Medieval Philosophy ; 27. Origin of Confusion ; 28. Us Disadvantages ; 29. Schol- asticism, is " One System " or " Group of Systems " in Medieval Philosophy ; 30. It is the System propounded by the Leading Western Philosophers of the Middle A ges ; 31. Their Agreement Compatible with Individual Origi- nality , 32. Deviations from Scholasiicisyn ; 33. Schol- asticism, the Dominant System during the Middle Ages ; 34. Anti-Scholasticism.) 7. Scholastic Philosophy and Scholastic Theology . 53 (35. Former Defined by Subordination to Catholic Dogma ^j " " 36. Scholasticity of a Philosophy ; 37. Relationship in Origin and in Teaching ; 38. Nature and Extent of Doctrinal Subordination ; 39.