Ockham, Scotus, & the Advent of Nominalism

[j.wolyniak]

Franciscan friends,

Anyone know any good secondary sources and/or regarded experts on Ockham and Scotus... and how/why they became invested in nominalism?

Recent scholarship has pinpointed the emergence of nominalism as a key turning point in the emergence of modernity. Scholars critical of secularism have suggested Ockham and Scotus are to bear much of the blame accordingly.

Any thoughts? Reactions? Suggested readings?

Thanks.
--
Joseph Wolyniak
DPhil Candidate,
Harris Manchester College
Oxford University
Oxford OX1 3TD
UK

[Dark Radiance]

You might want to contact Sister Mary Beth Ingham, she is an expert on Scotus. Her e-mail address as well as some of her works (which would be excellent resource information for you as well) may be found here:http://bellarmine2.lmu.edu/philosophy/faculty/ingham.html

Based on what is my admittedly minimal knowledge of the Scholastics, Ockham's nominalism was far more influential and severe than that of Scotus.

I will ask around and see if I can get some more book information for you.

Pax,
Jeff

[bonaventure]

Allow me to invite Sister Mary Beth to our forum so that we can all learn from this post.
If you happen to hear from her beforehand, please post the results back to the forum so that we can follow it.
Pace e bene,
Danny

[philippe]

My understanding is that Scotus was not a nominalist. He was a realist. The lumping together of Scotus and Ockham is not helpful to either as Ockham disagreed with Scotus on some key points. Mary Beth is great. Since you are in the UK, you may also like to contact Seamus Mulholland OFM - his book on Scotus is currently being prepared for publication and should be out in 2010. For Ockham the person to contact is Rev. Marilyn Adams - Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford - who is also no mean Scotus scholar.

[MBIngham]

Yes, Philippe is correct,

Scotus is not a nominalist, but a Moderate Realist or Conceptualist. Allan Wolter's writings on this point are very helpful: the mind and extra-mental reality are isomorphic and ideas do "map" the real in some sense. This point separates Scotus from all the criticisms that might be put to Ockham.

Also, as to M.McCord Adams, she is now (as of summer 2009) at University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill).

[j.wolyniak]

Thanks, everyone.

I don't at all mean to preempt further discussion, but this has been most helpful indeed.

I came across this: http://www.duke.edu/web/secmod/pfau/home.html May be helpful as an intro handout for students.

Thanks for the responses, point of correction, and leads.

Best
--
Joseph Wolyniak
DPhil Candidate,
Harris Manchester College
Oxford University
Oxford OX1 3TD
UK