Durandus of Saint-Pourçain

Durandus of St. Pourçain OP ( * ca 1270-1275 in Saint- Pourçain- sur -Sioule, † September 10, 1334 in Meaux ) was a theologian and philosopher; Masters, Paris ( 1312-13 ); lector sacri palatii, Avignon (1313-1317); Bishop of Limoux ( August 26, 1317 ), Le Puy -en -Velay ( February 14, 1318 ) and Meaux (13 March 1326). His epithet is " Doctor modernus ".

• 2.1 The metaphysical status of the relation
• 2.2 Psychological Considerations
• 2.3 Epistemological problems 2.3.1 The cognitive process
• 2.3.2 The principle of individuation
• 2.3.3 The Constitution of truth

Life

Durandus of St. Pourçain was born 1270-1275 in St. Pourçain sur Sioule and entered the Dominican Order in Clermont one. First, he began a career in science. For 1303 a stay at the Dominican convent of St. Jacques is attested to Paris, where he received his training as a Dominican student. Before Durandus his aphorisms reading recorded in 1308 in Paris to advance in order to baccalaureus formatus, it should have been taught in a general study of the Dominicans in the French province and there explains the Sentences of Peter Lombard.

In particular, the written version of the first reading sentences that had been disseminated without authorization by Durandus ' own dictum provoked fierce defensive reactions in his order. Despite these criticisms, Durandus could be promoted already in 1312 in Paris: this, however probably not without having an influential advocate, even if Durandus in its second version, which was created as part of the Paris Lecture, foresight struck a more moderate tone.

One year, however, after taking up his magisterial Durand was appointed to the court of Pope Clement V. to Avignon, where he pursued the occupation of a lector sacri palatii.

He left the papal court in 1317 to compete for the position of bishop of Limoux. There were other Bischöfsämter in Le Puy en Velay (1318-1326) and Meaux ( 1326-1334 ). The time as a bishop he used, among other things, on the one hand to revise his Sentences commentary for the second time, on the other hand, to advice concerning the Pope, now create John XXII. , So for example, his opinion on Poverty (1322 ) and for Visio dispute ( 1332 ). For this Pope Durandus also participated in the investigation and censorship of several theses of William of Ockham. As Bishop of Meaux Durand died on September 10th of the year 1334.

The triple drafting of the Sentences commentary

As already indicated, we differ with J. Koch a triple editors of the Sentences commentary of Durandus (after cooking referred to as versions A, B and C). The first arises in connection with his teaching in the French province. You will Durandus, by his own admission, stolen and distributed against his will. This A version sparked heated opposition from fellow Dominican from, it contained but sometimes vehement criticism of theories of Thomas Aquinas, indeed could even be interpreted as anti- thomasisch. A first critical opinion on the matter, we find in the second Quodlibet of Herveus Natalis ( 1308). Dealing with Herveus Natalis took about a decade and brought some polemical works up on both sides.

Already at the time of the first opinion, or shortly thereafter, however, there arises the version B of his Sentences commentary, which is classified in the context of his Parisian Sentences Reading ( 1308-1310 ). The generally unfriendly atmosphere in the Dominican Order Thomas - critical thinkers opposite is likely to have led Durand to waive explicit criticism of Thomas Aquinas, to finally not have to put his promotion to master risk. The makeover to version B is, however, primarily in failing loose painting of the Thomas - critical passages. However, this version was repeatedly subjected by Thomas -related thinkers to criticism. Especially Peter de Palude and John of Naples forth - in the fight against Durandus did - in addition Hervaeus Natalis.

A final editorial learns Durandus ' Sentences comment from 1317 to 1327. Since Durandus was removed as bishop now the jurisdiction of the Dominican Order, he could confidently mostly return to its initial views. Thus served as the basis of the revision to version C is not the version B, but again the first version (A). But this last editorial Durandus has Explicit described the same as its authentic comment.

The censorship of Durandus

Formative in his thinking- development is thus Durandus ' confrontation with his order. Not only scientific criticism of individual confreres he had to face, but also two official error lists the Order of Preachers have been created for version A and version B to part of his commentary. The first list from July 3, 1314 consisted of doing 93 theses which Durandus ' loyalty to the Church put to the test. The second error list of the 1316 /17, which included total to 235 theses, must be seen in close connection with the then escalating tendency of his order to establish the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas as the sole binding doctrine of the Dominicans ( 1317 begins the process of canonization of Thomas ).

In this sense, examined the second list, compiled by the way as the first list, especially from John of Naples and Peter de Palude, the deviations that Durandus ' sentences work over the teaching of Thomas had. This list was later probably another Duranduskritiker, namely Durandellus, as a template for creating his Evidentiae contra Durandum. Overall, the affair of Durandus as the " langandauerndste theological dispute of the Order " (MM Mulchahey ) can be described.

Teaching

Durandus ' thinking is influenced by the scientific examination of Thomas Aquinas, with his theories gain especially in its contraposition to the teaching of Aquinas in profile. Three primary areas of interest can be observed at him in metaphysical terms Durand appeared in the problem of the relation interested; psychological point of view was the problem of spiritual knowledge in the foreground; Finally, Durandus sat in epistemological terms with the realization of knowledge and the problem of truth apart.

The metaphysical status of the relation

The problem of the metaphysical status of the relation Durandus negotiated as part of its discussions on the Trinity. Durandus adds to the Aristotelian theory of categories to one aspect by distinguishing not only two modes of being, namely substantial and akzidentelles being, but the accidentals in absolute (quality and quantity) and relative accidentals divided (remaining seven categories). While in the Aristotelian model, the difference between subsistence and inherence is in the foreground, the model of Durandus shows its capacity to distinguish between subsistence and dependence. Thus, because the category of relation is understood as an inner disposition, as a pure mode essendi its substrate, which has no independent existence. As their foundation, both a substance and an absolute accident act. Thus the natural ordination of relation to or dependence on another is a fundamental trait of the same - in real distinctiveness due to the different modes essendi. Thus Durandus could tell a real difference between the three persons in the Holy Trinity, without jeopardizing the unity of the divine substance.

The idea underlying this doctrine called by a triple mode essendi at Durand is inspired by Henry of Ghent mode teaching, but also by considerations of James of Viterbo.

Psychological considerations

Also, the psychological considerations of Durandus have a certain proximity to Henry of Ghent. First, however, can be Durandus ' thesis of the spirit soul characterize as the sole form of man both in Aristotelian perspective as well as from the perspective of Thomas Aquinas as a consistent application and continuation of the Aristotelian instruments. However, the strong emphasis on the unity of the spirit soul he removed again from the views of Thomas when he finally denied in its version C the difference between the soul and its vegetative forces or negated the diversity of intellect and will.

Little on the line of Thomas are his aktpsychologischen considerations. It lacks a Durandus the objects only the effect condicio a sine qua non to the original activity comes the mental faculties to. The Act itself be understood as actual relations, ie as relative accidentals in the sense described above, the assets to the objects.

Herein lies, for example, the identification of the verbum mentis with the epistemic at Durand. The "Word of the Spirit" which is at the end of the process of abstraction in Thomas and the object of knowledge is in terms of a "medium in quo " of knowledge is, einfachhin characterized as identical to the real cognition in Durand.

Epistemological problems

The cognitive process

In the epistemology Durandus differs again from Thomas ' from eminent Aristotelian epistemology embossed. The French thinker rejects namely from both the assumption of species as well as species intelligibiles sensibiles as an explanatory model for the cognitive process and looks logically with the agent intellect as superfluous. For Durandus a direct action of the objects on the possible intellect is not only possible but the only reasonably justifiable procedure in the process of realization. It " goes through " the object has a three -stage process. Extra Mental things are first presented to the mind as a fantasy; recognized in the simplex apprehensio to finally determine the content of cognition by the object is now " obiective " in mind. This is not, however, as in many classical epistemology by a process of abstraction, ie the active dissect out a formal sense content from its substantive conditions, but a psychological process of getting another reticle from the object determinative conditions.

From this concept results in a temporal priority of the individual. Although the universal as is presented only in the mind becoming so Durandus but admits that it has an objective basis in the nature of things common. Durand is thus merely provides " conceptualist " as he holds universals conceptual phenomena.

The individuation

Starting from the assumption that only individual things, singularia, extra mental existence;, can also Durandus ' thesis to explain the principle of individuation. Durandus adopts four principles that should apply as principles of individuation and the nature of the constitution at the same time, insofar as applicable, after Durandus: everything that exists extramental can be only One. These are the two extrinsic goal and principles An automatic and the two intrinsic principles of form and matter. It is extrinsically professionals principal reason for the individuation, it causes not only extrinsically the individuation of matter whose intrinsic individuation consists in form, but also extrinsic individuation of form, which in turn is also individuated by matter - but only accompanying ( concomitanter ).

The constitution of truth

The problem of truth Constitution is treated at Durand. Here the Adäquationstheorie of Thomas Aquinas is translated into a theory of conformity. For Durandus is truth in the "conformity of the thing, insofar as it is recognized to be itself, if it is ( veritas est conformitas rei, ut intellecta est, ad se Ipsam secundum illud, quod est) " of, ie in the relation between thing as detected and the nature of things. Thus, there may be truth only in discerning intellect that can determine something as true when the two relata " recognized cause" and " thing in nature" match.

Sources and Aftermath

Besides the aforementioned Henry of Ghent Durandus is influenced, among other Aegidius Romanus of Peter of Auvergne, Jacob Metz and Duns Scotus. Durandus himself influenced thinkers like Herveus Natalis, Peter de Palude and John of Naples, who take in their work in detail to the theses of Durandus position. Your criticism into consideration Durandus mostly in his Sentences commentary last hand.

But even outside of the Dominican Order is Durandus opponents and supporters, such as Prosper of Reggio Emilia, Thomas Wylton, Peter Aureoli, Guido Terreni and John Baconthorp. In the 15th century a Thomist as John Capreolus was expressly interested in the refutation of Durandus. Durandus ' solution to the problem of angelic communication will eventually even in the 16th century by Gabriel Vazquez and Francisco Suárez fought (B. Roling ).

Durandus Aftermath is attested both by the large number of surviving manuscripts and by the fifteen editions that were printed in the 16th century and reflect the all the third editorial of his commentary. 1561 is named " nominalist " Chair at the University of Salamanca to Durandus, after the reading of Gregory of Rimini had been replaced by a Duranduslektüre there since 1528 and the.

Works

In addition to its comprehensive and delivered in triplicate editorial comment Sentences are five of us Quodlibeta ( 1312-17 ), a treatise De habitibus and other works, including some advice as well as sermons and individual Quästionen obtained (see Käppeli SOPMA, I, 339-350 ).

The publication of the first editors of his aphorisms comment is on Thomas Institute of the University of Cologne prepared (DFG project).