Roscelin of Compiègne was a French thinker and theologian who lived within the eleventh and twelfth centuries. He’s identified for his controversial views on the character of God and the Trinity, which led to his condemnation as a heretic by the Church.
Early Life and Training
Roscelin was born in Compiègne, France, within the 1050s. Not a lot is thought about his formative years, however it’s believed that he studied in Paris and should have been a pupil of the well-known thinker and theologian, Anselm of Canterbury.
Profession and Contributions
Roscelin’s most vital contribution to philosophy and theology was his idea of nominalism, which challenged the dominant view of his time that universals, or normal classes like “man” or “horse,” had been actual and existent entities. Roscelin argued that these universals had been merely names or labels, and that they didn’t exist in any actual sense.
Roscelin’s nominalism was controversial and sparked debate amongst theologians and philosophers of his time. It was seen as a menace to the normal doctrine of the Trinity, which held that God was one substance in three individuals. Roscelin’s nominalism steered that the idea of the Trinity was merely a reputation or label, and never an actual existence.
Roscelin’s views on the Trinity had been condemned as heretical by the Church, and he was excommunicated in 1092. He fled to England, the place he was welcomed by his former trainer, Anselm of Canterbury. Nonetheless, Roscelin’s views continued to be controversial, and he was pressured to flee once more, this time to Brittany.
Along with his work on nominalism and the Trinity, Roscelin was additionally identified for his commentaries on the works of Aristotle and for his views on the character of language. He believed that language was a instrument for communication, and that phrases had no inherent that means or significance exterior of their use in communication.
Demise and Legacy
Roscelin’s precise date of demise is unknown, however it’s believed to have been within the late twelfth century. Regardless of his condemnation as a heretic, Roscelin’s concepts continued to affect later philosophers and theologians, together with Peter Abelard and William of Ockham.
Roscelin’s nominalism paved the best way for the event of later theories of language and that means, and it helped to put the groundwork for the event of recent philosophy. His concepts in regards to the nature of God and the Trinity additionally contributed to the continued debate about these points throughout the Church, they usually proceed to be mentioned and debated by theologians and philosophers as we speak.
General, Roscelin’s contributions to philosophy and theology had been controversial and difficult, however they performed an vital function in shaping the mental and non secular panorama of medieval Europe.
