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Philosophy and Civilization in the Middle Ages
"Philosophy and Civilization in the Middle Ages" is an interesting examination of the Middle Ages in world history via the thorough analysis of Maurice Marie Charles Joseph De Wulf. A philosopher, and a professor of philosophy at the Catholic University of Leuven, De Wulf was one of the pioneers of the historiography of medieval philosophy. This book is primarily comprised of lectures that De Wulf delivered at Princeton University for the Vanuxem Foundation to further the study of the Middle Ages.
De Wulf's primary goal in this text is to approach the Middle Ages from a new point of view, specifically by examining the philosophical beliefs in different civilizations during this time period. De Wulf begins his book by establishing the context of the Middle Ages for the reader, including the major civilizations present on the European scene during that period in time. The author then explores the "Great Awakening of Philosophy" in the thirteenth century - offering a complete study on both causes and effects of this major event. The major factor De Wulf credits with inspiring this shift in human thought and belief is the rise of Universities and increased access to education, primarily in Paris and Oxford. By exploring changes in philosophical thought, De Wulf also makes connections to what he calls "human progress" or progress in science, morals, and social and political justice.
"Philosophy and Civilization in the Middle Ages" provides an interesting argument for the rise of philosophy and how this shift improved general societal conditions during the Middle Ages. This is a great book for any reader intrigued by philosophy, the Middle Ages, and the growth of civilizations. This book also holds significant gems of information for readers with only a passing interest in these topics.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
De Wulf's primary goal in this text is to approach the Middle Ages from a new point of view, specifically by examining the philosophical beliefs in different civilizations during this time period. De Wulf begins his book by establishing the context of the Middle Ages for the reader, including the major civilizations present on the European scene during that period in time. The author then explores the "Great Awakening of Philosophy" in the thirteenth century - offering a complete study on both causes and effects of this major event. The major factor De Wulf credits with inspiring this shift in human thought and belief is the rise of Universities and increased access to education, primarily in Paris and Oxford. By exploring changes in philosophical thought, De Wulf also makes connections to what he calls "human progress" or progress in science, morals, and social and political justice.
"Philosophy and Civilization in the Middle Ages" provides an interesting argument for the rise of philosophy and how this shift improved general societal conditions during the Middle Ages. This is a great book for any reader intrigued by philosophy, the Middle Ages, and the growth of civilizations. This book also holds significant gems of information for readers with only a passing interest in these topics.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
324 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1922
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January 6, 2026Its only halfway through that he really gets to the meat of medieval philosphical ideas. The first half is expository, setting the stage for the development of them. But this half is pretty repetitive, I think it couldve been reduced down to two or even one chapter. De Wulf also presents a fairly idealized view of medieval society. Although he is trying to combat prejudiced views about this time period, I think he swings a little too far in the other direction. Perhaps he is an exponent of the idea that you should judge a society more on its highest ideals than its lived realities.
Books based off lectures often have this meandering repetitive nature though. The last half made it worth reading.
Books based off lectures often have this meandering repetitive nature though. The last half made it worth reading.
February 7, 2013
An interesting overview of the literary culture of the High Middle Ages, reflecting an extremely dated and often-farcical degree of approbation for the Catholic church. Contains some insights, and the prose is well-written enough. Worth scanning.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews