Ancient, Medieval, Modern (17th-18th century) Philosophical Conceptions Aristotle
Medieval
Modern
God (as ultimate object) Revelation Authority
Relationships (spatio, temporal, causal, etc.) Empirical-Mathematical Correspondence-Coherence
Knowledge:
Object: Essences Method: Syllogistic Criterion of Truth: Self-Evidence
Nature:
Scope: Change: Matter: Divisions:
Everything Natural v. Supernatural Purposive (Teleological) Creation Animate (Hylozoistic - matter is 'alive') Hierarchically Ordered
Humankind:
Place: Position: Nature: Ends:
Part of Natural World Central Rational Happiness (within the State)
Part of the Natural and the Supernatural WorldPart of the Natural World (other world?) Focus of Value Relatively Insignificant Rational-Believer Rational with Limited Understanding Salvation (within the Church) Freedom-Individuality (anti-institutional?)
"Contemplate"
"Lege, Labora, Ora" (Read, Work, Pray)
Motto:
Physical Mechanistic Inanimate Quantatively ordered
"Calculate, Experiment, Act"