Scholasticism, << skuh LAS tuh sihz uhm, >> was a philosophical system that emphasized the use of reason in exploring questions of philosophy and theology. The scholastics particularly tried to prove the truth of Christian doctrine. They also tried to reconcile contradictory viewpoints in Christian theology.
Scholasticism had its greatest influence from the 1000’s to the 1400’s, especially during the 1200’s. Most scholastics taught in the schools and universities of western Europe.
The scholastic method.
The scholastics developed an extremely formal and sophisticated procedure of investigating philosophical and theological questions. The method they developed became known as the disputed question. The disputed question started with a problem stated by the teacher. The students then listed the arguments for and against a certain solution to the problem. Next, the students took a position on the problem. Finally, they dealt, one by one, with the arguments on all sides of the problem. Using this method, the teacher and students tried to reach a balanced solution.
Scholastics analyzed philosophical and theological questions in books called books of sentences. A book of sentences contained quotations or summaries of dogma compiled from the Bible, from works by early Christian writers, and–less often–from the works of other medieval writers. If the quotations or summaries conflicted, the compiler tried to reconcile the conflicts by his own commentaries based on reason. The Four Books of Sentences (mid-1100’s) by Peter Lombard became the standard theological textbook.
Scholasticism trained its followers to consider every side of a question logically and rationally. It also trained them to state their arguments briefly and clearly. However, critics claimed that scholasticism relied so much on formal systems that it became artificial and inflexible. Critics also complained that the scholastic method led to the assumption that every problem could be solved by reasoning.
History.
Scholasticism originated during the 1000’s in schools operated by cathedrals and monasteries. The writings on logic by the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle had an important early influence on scholasticism. Aristotle had used logic to try to prove the existence of God. His approach attracted many scholastics, especially Peter Abelard.
Scholasticism reached its high point during the 1200’s in western European universities. Many works by Aristotle that had been unknown to medieval philosophers were translated into Latin. For the first time, scholars could study a complete body of philosophy based on experience and reason alone. Until the translations of Aristotle’s works, medieval philosophy had been based largely on the Bible and on writings by early Christian theologians. The scholastics tried to reconcile Aristotle’s philosophy with Christianity. They also applied his philosophy to theological problems.
The major scholastics of the 1200’s included Saint Albertus Magnus, Alexander of Hales, Saint Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, Saint Bonaventure, and Robert Grosseteste. Aquinas, the most important scholastic, developed a philosophy that claimed to lead through reason alone to basic truths about God and the soul. But Aquinas believed that human beings need divine revelation to fill out and expand such knowledge.
In the 1300’s, the scholastics John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham rejected Aquinas’ emphasis on reason. They believed that God’s actions and purposes are unpredictable and must be learned through revelation.
Protestant universities also adopted many scholastic methods. But in the 1600’s, scholasticism gradually lost its influence in many universities. Some of its features were revived by Pope Leo XIII in 1879. Many modern Roman Catholic thinkers reflect the influence of scholasticism.
