Universals are real essences and prior to things...

Universals are real essences and prior to things; [^2] culmination: Aristotle's philosophy is dominant: universals are real but immanent [and not transcendent]the period of great, comprehensive systems: Albertus Magnus and St. Thomas Aquinas. [^3] Decline: fourteenth century. Universals are not real but mere concepts, particulars alone are real, universals are real only in the mind, hence after things: the Nominalism of John Duns Scotus and William of Occam.

Problems of Scholasticism: [^1] Relation between faith and reason, [^2] relation between will and intellect, [^3] distinction between nature and grace, [^4] status of universals. 3.4.1 Formative Period the Schoolmen John Scotus Erigena b. [Ireland 810 d. 877]: Neoplatonism. Anselm of Canterbury [1033-1109]: first Scholastic Synthesis proofs for the existence of God based on Platonic conception of universals existing independently of particulars. Peter Abelard [1079 Pallet 1142 Paris].

School of Chartres. Cathedral at Chartres. John of Salisbury [1115-1180]. 3.4.2 Culmination Albertus Magnus [1193-1280] St. Thomas Aquinas [c. 1225-1274] At the same time as this culmination [thirteenth century], Anti-Scholastic tendencies are developing: mysticism, pantheism, natural science: John Fidanza [1221-1274], called St. Bonaventura, a mystic Roger Bacon [1214-1294]: science 3.4.3 Decline John Duns Scotus [b. c. 1274-1310], opposition to St. Thomas.

William of Occam [1280-1347], the great leader of this nominalist revival. Occam's razor refers to superfluous universals. Scholasticism declines after the thirteenth century along with the rise of nationalism, mysticism, tolerance of natural science and the spirit of free inquiry by the Church [as being not relevant to the province of God]including the elevation by the Church of Aristotle's value [originally as a conservative device].

Fourteenth Century Mysticism: the greatest figure in this movement is Meister Eckhart, a Dominican teacher who died in the prison of his order Leading to the modern period which begins with the renaissance and the [religious] reformation. Previous…