Copleston's history remains one of the best introductions to the philosophy of Medieval Europe for any serious student of philosophy. Copleston has the ability to view ideas as part of a broader whole while also being able to give detailed discussion on particular questions, and has obviously done extensive research and given careful thought to matters. He is also skilled in presenting a relatively neutral analysis of disputed points and not letting his own views interfere with his exposition. All in all, just the sort of scholar you'd want writing a history of philosophy for you.
The result is a history which is relatively accessible to someone with some basic knowledge of philosophy yet informative enough to give the reader a general understanding of ideas and thinkers that can be quite extensive without getting weighed down with trying to read and interpret all the primary texts (but if one wishes, ample references to them are provided). It touches on major thinkers and controversies and superbly captures the issues at hand, while at the same time covering more marginal and transitional figures that might normally be left out.
I particularly commend this text to any undergraduate philosophy student whose university does not offer any courses on medieval philosophy.
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The Greek Influence on the Early Church Thinkers
I've always found Father Copleston's History of Philosophy series informative with clear narrative. This particular volume was helpful in grasping the roll out of Aristotle's views through the various Islamic interpreters like Avicenna and Averroes into the Latin west and the chief expositors Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas. I was really fascinated by Bonaventure's thinking and the central role of introspection regarding awareness of God. All in all the text was well laid out and the approach supported by clear thinking. Likewise filling in briefly and concisely the role Origen and Tertullian played in the development of Christian philosophy was a plus. These are helpful for students and mature scholars for gaining context and building a bibliography. A great purchase..
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Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017
The Greek Influence on the Early Church Thinkers
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017
I've always found Father Copleston's History of Philosophy series informative with clear narrative. This particular volume was helpful in grasping the roll out of Aristotle's views through the various Islamic interpreters like Avicenna and Averroes into the Latin west and the chief expositors Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas. I was really fascinated by Bonaventure's thinking and the central role of introspection regarding awareness of God. All in all the text was well laid out and the approach supported by clear thinking. Likewise filling in briefly and concisely the role Origen and Tertullian played in the development of Christian philosophy was a plus. These are helpful for students and mature scholars for gaining context and building a bibliography. A great purchase..
Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2017
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Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2013
Top reviews from other countries
Jhonathan Banczek
Um das melhores obras sobre a história da filosofia
Reviewed in Brazil on March 18, 2017
Jhonathan Banczek
Reviewed in Brazil on March 18, 2017
Um detalhe que não sabia antes de comprar é a qualidade do papel, pelo baixo preço (versão normal, não capa dura) o papel tem uma qualidade inferior, porém, não atrapalha a leitura.
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