A Compendium of Ockham's Teachings: A Translation of the Tractatus de Principiis Theologiae

by William of Ockham, Julian Davies (Editor)

Ockham's two great principles were the Principle of Divine Omnipotence and the Principle of Plurality is never to be posited without necessity. The Tractatus takes all of Ockham's views and explains them as related to, or consequences of, the two principles - 167 from the Principle of the Divine and 81 from the Principle of Parsimony.

The translator's (Julian Davies) Introduction offers some helpful hints for reading, and it explains and illustrates the relationship between the two principles. A Glossary of technical terms and Bibliography are included. Footnotes reference English translations of works of Ockham where such exist.

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

About the author

William of Ockham (also Occam, Hockham, or any of several other spellings, IPA: /ˈɒkəm/) (c. 1288 - c. 1348) was an English Franciscan friar and scholastic philosopher, from Ockham, a small village in Surrey, near East Horsley. He is considered, along with Thomas Aquinas, Duns Scotus, and Averroes (ibn Rushd in the Middle East), to be one of the major figures of medieval thought and was at the centre of the major intellectual and political controversies of the fourteenth century. Although commonly known for Occam's Razor, the methodological principle that bears his name, William of Ockham also produced significant works on logic, physics, and theology. In the Church of England, his day of commemoration is April 10.

Reviews

[Erick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve read a bit of Ockham already. This book is really a compendium of some of the more important points in his philosophy culled from his various works. This was apparently compiled by a contemporaneous follower of Ockham’s. It’s possible that it was dictated by Ockham, but the way it flows seems to point to it being a handbook of Ockhamist philosophy. It actually does serve as a great introduction to Ockham. I honestly would recommend this to someone who is intending to read Ockham for the first time. The writer presents some of his main points and arguments and often provides examples for illustration and further elaboration. Definitely worth reading for anyone who wants to start reading Ockham, or simply wants a more concise reference for his philosophy.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

150+ propositions derived from one theology principle (the absolute power of God) and one philosophical principle (the principle of parsimony).