PHI 3602: Medieval Philosophy (2021-2022)

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What happens when Greek philosophy starts a conversation with the Abrahamic faith traditions (Judaism, Christianity, & Islam)? This course discusses some of the issues and questions arising from the Ancient period (especially in Plato and Aristotle) and engaged by later theologians and philosophers struggling to articulate the beliefs and practices of their faith traditions. Questions include: What is the nature of God? How are we to understand divine knowledge and power? How do answers to such theistic questions accord with human free will, sin, and evil? What is the relationship between faith and reason, and faith and ethics? The course focuses on such thinkers as: Augustine, Boethius, Al Farabi, Ibn Sina, Al Ghazali, Maimonides, and Thomas Aquinas.