Introduction to Medieval Philosophy: A History of Thought Surrounding the Sea of Being

October 24, 2023

It took about four years to finish writing "Introduction to Medieval Philosophy." Despite the effort I put into it, it hasn't been well-received by my family. "Another introductory book?" my family says. "It's a paperback, so I have to consider sales," I excuse myself. "We won't know about sales until later, though," they say, tilting their heads. I quickly escape by saying, "One must never forget their beginner's spirit."

My debut work was "The Problem of Universals: As the Origins of Modernity" (Tetsugaku Shobo, 1992), and its subtitle was "Invitation to Medieval Philosophy 1." Since then, I have written "Thesis Manual for Barely Passing" (Heibonsha Shinsho, 2001) and "A Small Introduction to Ethics" (Keio University Press, 2015). To my family, I seem like an expert in introductory books. "But you see, most of medieval philosophy remains unexplored territory, so introductory books aren't bad as guides," I continue to make excuses.

When people hear "medieval philosophy," it may seem like a single body of philosophy, but it is a lineage of thought that lasted for about a thousand years in Western Europe. Even if there is a commonality of philosophy in Latin, the content is infinitely varied. The content and terminology vary depending on the location, university, and sect. Moreover, it spans philosophy, theology, ethics, natural philosophy, logic, and more; one cannot speak of medieval philosophy in a single word, and I always have trouble explaining to my family and parents what I am researching.

What I research in medieval philosophy is ontology, specifically the influence of Islamic philosophy on the Western understanding of existence. In the theme of this book, "Introduction to Medieval Philosophy," I particularly approached the thought of a Scottish theologian named Duns Scotus (c. 1265–1308).

What he advocated was the univocity of being. He said that "being" has the same meaning for God and for creatures. It sounds obvious, but it is a complex theory. His theory is exquisitely interesting and has been stirring my heart for a long time.

The reason it becomes complex is that various cultures and thoughts intersect. It is located at the crossroads of things like Greek philosophy, Christian theology, and Islamic culture. The 13th century, the peak of medieval philosophy, is a scene where one can taste that true essence.

Although it is a paperback, it became a bit thick and ended up being difficult for an introductory book. Please forgive me for that.

Introduction to Medieval Philosophy: A History of Thought Surrounding the Sea of Being

Shiro Yamauchi

Chikuma Shinsho

398 pages, 1,265 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are as of the time of publication.