Adam de Buckfield
Encyclopedia
Adam de Buckfield was an English Franciscan
philosopher, who taught at the University of Oxford
in the early 1240s. He was an early commentator on a number of Aristotle
's works, in particular those dealing with natural philosophy
.
were two Oxford masters of the mid 13th century. Buckfield introduced the New Aristotle at the English
university at a time when it was prohibited from being taught in Paris, France because of ecclesiastical restrictions. It is probable that Adam of Buckfield received a degree in theology and penned his Aristotelian commentaries during his regency in arts which began by 1243. His explanation of Aristotle's meaning drew heavily on the writing of Averroes
.
. The latter believed the various functions of the soul (understanding, opinion, desire, etc.) reflected diverse parts of the soul, which were located in different organs. To answer the question left unanswered by Aristotle, Adam of Buckfield commented that each of the properties reside in the soul as a whole.
He elaborated by saying that each individual being can have only one perfection. So it follows that man's perfection must be in one substance. He thought that according to Aristotelian principles, the vegetative and sensitive souls were of different substance than the intellective soul. His attempt to clarify this was inspired by Philip the Chancellor
. However Adam's is a more believable argument concerning this matter than is Philip's Summa. Philip the Chancellor insisted that the body and soul were united by a particular medium.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
philosopher, who taught at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
in the early 1240s. He was an early commentator on a number of Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
's works, in particular those dealing with natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
.
Teacher of Aristotle
Adam of Buckfield and the theologian Richard FishacreRichard Fishacre
Richard Fishacre was an English Dominican theologian, the first to hold the Dominican chair at the University of Oxford. He taught at Oxford and authored the first commentary on the Four Books of Sentences of Peter Lombard to be issued from the Oxford schools...
were two Oxford masters of the mid 13th century. Buckfield introduced the New Aristotle at the English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
university at a time when it was prohibited from being taught in Paris, France because of ecclesiastical restrictions. It is probable that Adam of Buckfield received a degree in theology and penned his Aristotelian commentaries during his regency in arts which began by 1243. His explanation of Aristotle's meaning drew heavily on the writing of Averroes
Averroes
' , better known just as Ibn Rushd , and in European literature as Averroes , was a Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy,...
.
Nature of the soul
His particular interest was in whether the agent intellect was within the soul or a power of the soul. Averroes' believed in the latter interpretation while many theologians were inclined to affirm the former. Adam of Buckfield doubted that the agent and possible intellect are of the same substance. He wondered if the substance of the possible intellect is within the soul while that of the agent intellect is outside of it. Like his Oxford colleagues he was curious about the unity of the soul. He felt that Aristotle merely refuted the idea of PlatoPlato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
. The latter believed the various functions of the soul (understanding, opinion, desire, etc.) reflected diverse parts of the soul, which were located in different organs. To answer the question left unanswered by Aristotle, Adam of Buckfield commented that each of the properties reside in the soul as a whole.
He elaborated by saying that each individual being can have only one perfection. So it follows that man's perfection must be in one substance. He thought that according to Aristotelian principles, the vegetative and sensitive souls were of different substance than the intellective soul. His attempt to clarify this was inspired by Philip the Chancellor
Philip the Chancellor
Philip the Chancellor was a French theologian and Latin lyric poet. He was the illegitimate son of Philippe, Archdeacon of Paris , and was part of a family of powerful clerics. He was born and studied theology in Paris. He was chancellor of Notre Dame de Paris starting in 1217 until his death, and...
. However Adam's is a more believable argument concerning this matter than is Philip's Summa. Philip the Chancellor insisted that the body and soul were united by a particular medium.