On the intellective process in the 'Tractatus de Intellectibus' of Peter Abelard

• Grant number: 13/05954-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2013
• End date: September 01, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Philosophy - History of Philosophy
• Principal Investigator: José Carlos Estêvão
• Grantee: André Botelho Scholz
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 14/14031-8 - The theory of understandings on Abelards "de intellectibus", BE.EP.MS

Abstract

The aim of this research is study the intellective process developed by Peter Abelard in the "Tractatus Intellectibus". Our main interest is to point out how Abelard develops a theory in which the knowledge of universals is impossible to men, or at least is possible only in a confused way. This fact is a direct consequence of the intellectual structure presented by the philosopher, and it can only be understood from the articulation of the whole intellective process. Thus we will try to show that there is a problem placed in the relationship between intellection and knowledge. The intellection is conceived as the attention of the spirit, from the reason, on the sensation and the image of the thing (which are nothing more than attention of the spirit over the things; in the case of imagination that perception is confuse), i.e. there is no aspect of knowledge defined as the apprehension of the nature or form of the thing. However, intellections may or may not be meaningful, or, in other words, they may be empty or sound. Thus, it is necessary to investigate how knowledge can be originated in intellection, because the concept of sanity is not exhaustible from the ways of the meaning of things. The hypothesis that our research will seek to raise is that the estimate, while passion of the soul, can arise as a way to make the knowledge possible from intellection. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

SCHOLZ, André Botelho. Between sensation and reason: a study on the ordination of the intellect in Peter Abelards Tractatus de Intellectibus. 2016. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH/SBD) São Paulo.