On Recent Studies of the Opening Question in Scotus's Ordinatio

ON RECENT STUDIES OF THE OPENING QUESTION IN SCOTUS'S ORDINATIO Studies have been made fairly frequently of Duqs Scotus's doctrine on the necessity of revelation as this subject is taught in the opening question of his principal work, the Ordinatio or Opus Oxoniense. Within the past few years the passage has been twice presented in English, in an exact translation byA.Wolter, O.F. M.1, and in the form of a paraphrase with a commentary by Nathaniel Micklem2. Etienne Gilson gave considerable attention to the same question in his recent large work on the fundamental positions of Duns Scotus8. C. Balic has published important observations on some of Gilson's views4. In the first volume of the Vatican edition we get a critical text. Analytic study of the critical edition in relation with possible sources and parallel works makes possible an appreciation of the stages in the exposition of our doctor's thought5. This study also helps towards an assessment of judgments found in works which did not aim at an exhaustive treatment of this opening question in its entirety. The importance of fidelity to the original order of presentation is emphasized. The character of the opposition envisaged by Scotus is more clearly defined. We get help towards the interpretation of our author's views on the first object of the intellect and its relation with metaphysics. 1 A. Wolter, Duns Scotus on the necessity of revealed knowledge. Prologue to the Ordinatio of Duns Scotus, Franciscan Studies, XI (1951), [231]—[272]. 8 N. Micklem, Reason and Revelation: A Question from Duns Scotus, [Edinburgh ], 1953. $ E. Gilson, Jean Duns Scot. Introduction à ses positions fondamentales (Études de philosophie médiévale, XLII). Paris, 1952. See also Les recherches historico-critiques et l'avenir de la scolastique in Scholasticaratione historico-critica instaurando,. Acta congressus scholastici internationalis Romae anno sancto MCML celebrati (Bibl. PontificiiAthenaei Antoniani, 7), Rome, 1951, 131—142. Also, Les maîtresses positions de Duns Scot d'après le Prologue de l'Ordinatio. (Acta primi conventus internationalis lectorum philosophiae O. F. M. habiti Romae n—16 Sept., 1950), Antonianum, XXVIII (1953), 7—l8· 4 C. Balic, Circa positiones fundamentales Joannis Duns Scoti. Antonianum, XVIII (1953). 261—306. 1 In this article we present some of the results of such a study submitted as a dissertation for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy at the Institut supérieur de philosophie of Louvain. 1 Franciscan Studiest 2 CO HUALLACHAIN Scotus's teaching here on the objects of theology and metaphysics is clarified. The reasons for the rejection of certain anti-rationalist arguments are seen in better perspective. Significance of the order of presentation The arrangement of this first question in the prologue of the Ordinatio is rather complicated. We have before us an example of the scholastic method of presentation developed to the stage when, after the introductory series of objections and supporting arguments, a further long series of objections and answers is included before we get the solution and the answers to the initial arguments*. It is difficult to present the matter in modern form without sacrificing to some degree that precious help to interpretation, the context of the author's statements. It seems regrettable, however, that in Gilson's book the anti-rationalist view precedes the rationalist arguments7. This is different from the order of presentation chosen by Scotus. We believe that there are indications that this presentation by Gilson distorts Scotus's opinion. Interpretation of the positive arguments for the necessity of theology would be greatly helped if one knew the mentality ascribed to those who occasioned the theologian's stand. The alleged attitude of those who were opposed by the theologians can only be learned by giving careful attention in the first place to the "philosopher 's arguments", and to the replies which they receive. At the beginning of the prologue of the Ordinatio seven arguments are ranged against the necessity of revealed knowledge, three being used as the initial arguments8 whereas the remainder are found in the corpus*. From the viewpoint of our study, however, we are justified in considering them as a unit, for together they give a composite picture of the mentality of...