Duns Scotus

[Flobbyoiboyz]

I love this concise explanation of some of Scotus' thought. Thanks for posting it!

[SuperGreatSphinx]

John Duns, commonly called Duns Scotus (c. 1266 – 8 November 1308), is generally considered to be one of the three most important philosopher-theologians of the High Middle Ages.

Scotus has had considerable influence on both Catholic and secular thought.

The doctrines for which he is best known are the "univocity of being, " that existence is the most abstract concept we have, applicable to everything that exists; the formal distinction, a way of distinguishing between different aspects of the same thing; and the idea of haecceity, the property supposed to be in each individual thing that makes it an individual.

Scotus also developed a complex argument for the existence of God, and argued for the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Duns Scotus was given the scholastic accolade Doctor Subtilis (Subtle Doctor) for his penetrating and subtle manner of thought.

He was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1993.

[leevjr]

It seems obvious to me that Scotus has the most perfect arguments, and that The Church has been moving in his favor for at least the last 170 years. The crux of Scotus asserts that God wills in a most orderly and just manner, and by this is bound to the nature of all things created, including human free will. A standard of timeless perfection may never be completely understood by flawed human reasoning, but the constant we experience as the emotion of love drives our lives at the core. Pope Benedict XVI stated this succinctly: "The heart is a better way of knowing". A person can change their thinking on a whim, but the heart is much less pliable. Victory humble Scotus ... with no malice to anyone.

[daniel-zhqc]

What did Heidegger see in Scotus - as per univocity of being -- it serves a touchstone in Deleuze as well. For the former the Ontic/Ontological division is a clear idea inspired from Scotus, while for the latter, the idea of a differentiated plane of immanence as proceeding identity makes some sense; but in both cases I still wonder what Scouts meant at a more finite level with the idea of a "univocity of being."

[JosephMage]

Mr. Reeves, Will you ever a video on Saint Bonaventure?

[dailysentinal]

god is good god is love god is truth god is unity which is the natural state of the universe

[Roedygr]

In order that the happiness of the saints may be more delightful and that they may
give to God more copious thanks for it, they are permitted perfectly to behold the
sufferings of the damned...The saints will rejoice in the punishment of the
damned.
~ St. Thomas Aquinas 1225 1274-03-07

[frankkarielee]

Thanks for using your gift to bring these lectures with useful insights. God bless you!

[nunocastro]

This is a great introduction to Scotus! I wish I could have seen it in my college years :). I would love to know your suggestions for further reading. They seem to be missing from the video, from 22:05 to 22:41.

[seedhillbruisermusic]

very interesting. I'm enjoying these lectures a lot. (p.s. Berwickshire is pronounced more like Berrickshur, with the stress on the first syllable. The "w" is silent)  :-)

[iconbylvergara]

Great video! Can you make a video about the differences of Duns Scotus and William of Ockham, their philosophies, their beliefs, their history? Thanks. Would be helpful. It is said that they were 'arch-rivals' so knowing the differences would be great.

[Robbo]

Hey Ryan, I'm doing an assignment on Scotus and this video was enormously helpful. Can you please recommend some bibliography? Thank you.

[JohnO]

I've been under the impression that Cornelius Van Til came up with the term "Creator/Creation Distinction".

[kvjqxzz]

Scotus sounds like an early Wittgenstein to me

[cornutus]

Great video, but to be more precise, a distinction existed in the middle ages between univocal, equivocal, and analogical ways of speaking about God.

[scottdipaolo]

I love these lectures I watch wheneverI can. I can’t help but be very curious if mr reeves is Catholic or Protestant, it won’t change me watching these and maybe he’s said what he is but I wanna know haha

[BikeVermont]

Prof. Reeves, as much as I admire your understanding of Church history, I believe Thomistic theology is beyond you. For Thomas the intellect is by nature superior to the will and in this sense the condition of its operation. In man original sin makes his will unruly at times. Even when it is unruly, tho, it will act in consequence of something offered by the mind; thus the mind always remains first, the condition of the will's act. In God, all that we distinguish and divide mentally as human creatures, will find its analogue but unified in the absolute simplicity of divine being. So intellect and will in God are one, but truth being what the will tends toward by nature, the intellectual in God must be the lodestone of his will, drawing the will to itself. This does not bind God, since intellect and will in Him are infinite in their possibilities and perfectly in sync. By the way, if you place the will above the intellect in God, you have the Muslim concept of God -- or Allah: all Will, all arbitrary, free to contradict himself, free to call murder evil today and good tomorrow, free to decree terrorism if He so chooses.

[SKMikeMurphySJ]

Didn't he reject the Atonement Theory?

[berkshants]

Sorry for such a minor point, but the image you use at the 19:30ish point is that of Urizon from William Blake. Urizon is Blake's embodiment of the uncaring version of God who is harsh, uncaring and unkind to humanity.

[jajanesaddictions]

How could Aquinas get away with saying someone could get to understand G-d? That is just incredulous to me.  He was bold.