
Species Intelligibilis: From Perception to Knowledge
Classical Roots and Medieval Discussions
Leen Spruit(Author)
Brill (Publisher)
Published on 1. December 1993
Book
Leather / fine binding
XII, 452 pages
978-90-04-09883-1 (ISBN)
Description
This study examines the history of a fundamental problem in Aristotelian cognitive psychology, i.e. the nature and function of the mechanisms that provide the human mind with data concerning physical reality.
Chapter I traces the Classical and Arabic prehistory of the Medieval doctrine of intelligible species. Scholastic discussions on formal mediation in intellective cognition were constrained in essential ways by Thomas. Chapter II analyzes his views on mental representation in the context of the reception of Peripatetic psychology in the West. The following chapters (III-V) examine the controversies about the necessity of intelligible species, from Aquinas' death to the 15th century. Another volume is planned, devoted to Renaissance discussions, developments of later Scholasticism, and the elimination of the intelligible species in modern non-Aristotelian philosophy.
Chapter I traces the Classical and Arabic prehistory of the Medieval doctrine of intelligible species. Scholastic discussions on formal mediation in intellective cognition were constrained in essential ways by Thomas. Chapter II analyzes his views on mental representation in the context of the reception of Peripatetic psychology in the West. The following chapters (III-V) examine the controversies about the necessity of intelligible species, from Aquinas' death to the 15th century. Another volume is planned, devoted to Renaissance discussions, developments of later Scholasticism, and the elimination of the intelligible species in modern non-Aristotelian philosophy.
Reviews / Votes
"Il est sans doute preferable de considerer cet ouvrage comme un dosier qui, reellement interessant, est propose en vue de recherches futures soucieuses de plus d'acribie. La vaste bibliographie et l'index des noms d'auteurs devraient les favoriser."E.-H. Weber, Revue des Sciences Philosophiques et Theologiques, 1994.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Leiden
Netherlands
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
Cloth
With dust jacket
Dimensions
Height: 245 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
958 gr
ISBN-13
978-90-04-09883-1 (9789004098831)
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Leen Spruit received his Ph.D. in philosophy (1987) from the University of Amsterdam. He was research fellow at the Universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht. His main interests are in the history of Medieval and early modern epistemology. Publications include: Il problema della conoscenza in Giordano Bruno (Naples 1988), which was awarded the "Prins Bernhard Fonds" prize in 1988. He currently lives in Rome.