Odo of Tournai, the Phoenix, and the Problem of Universals

Odo of Tournai, the Phoenix, and the Problem of Universals IRVEN M. RESNICK OVER THE PAST SEVERALYEARSa good deal of attention has been focused on the philosophical literature of the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries in an attempt to locate the origins of nominalism? As part of this effort, several scholars have attempted to come to a new and better appreciation of one of the most vilified figures of the late eleventh century, namely Roscelin of Compi ~gne, whose logical doctrine, sometimes described as "proto-nominalism" or "vocalism, ''2 represents an early stage in the development of twelfth-century logical thought. Some have attempted simply to reconstruct, on the basis of the little material available to us that describes Roscelin's views, a less polemical and more coherent account of his theory of universals.3 Others have attempted to identify additional writings--both published and unpublished--that may properly shed light on Roscelin's philosophy.4 All, however, would agree on Roscelin's significance for the history of philosophy at the beginning of the twelfth-century renaissance. Roscelin's importance does not necessarily presuppose his originality. Evi- ' This effort has resulted in the dedication of an entire number of Vivarium to the origin and meaning of twelfth-century nominalism. Cf. Vivarium 3o/1 (1992). For a discussion of various doctrines on universals that emerged before Abelard, see Augustine Thompson, "The Debate on Universals before Peter Abelard,"Journal of the History of Philosophy33/3 (1995): 4o9-29 . 'See Iwakuma Yukio, " 'Vocales' or Early Nominalists," Traditio 48 (1992): 4o-41. sCf. Eike-Henner W. Kluge, "Roscelin and the Medieval Problem of Universals," Journal of the History of Philosophy a4/4 (1976): 4o5- 14; and John Jolivet, "Trois variations m6di~vales sur I'universal et l'individu: Roscelin, Ab~lard, Gilbert de la Porr~e," Revue de radtaphysiqueet de morale 97/1 0992): 111-55. 4Cf. Constance Mews, "St. Anselm and Roscelin: Some New Texts and Their Implications," Archives de histoiredoctrinale et littg, raire du Moyen Age 58 (1991): 55-97; and his "Nominalism and Theology before Abaelard: New Light on Roscelin of Compib.gne," Vivarium 3~ (1992): 4-33. This reevaluation of Roscelin'swork has also resulted in attempts to deny his authorship of other texts sometimes ascribed to him, e.g., the Sententia de universalibussecundum magistrum R. Cf. Judith Dijs, "Two Anonymous Twelfth-Century Tracts on Universals," Vivarium 28/2 (a99o): 85-117. [355] 356 JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF PHILOSOPHY 35:3 JULY 1997 dently, the first person to teach 'vocalism' or a proto-nominalism toward the end of the eleventh century--perhaps c. lo8o--was a certain John ("the Sophist "), active at the time of Lanfranc of Canterbury. Among his students are counted Roscelin, Rotbert of Paris, and Arnulf of Laon. Further, Herman of Tournai provides evidence for the career of yet another of these moclerni, Raimbert of Lille, who taught c. lo9o.5 Nevertheless, Roscelin, in part because of the powerful enemies he acquired--e.g., Anselm of Canterbury and Peter Abelard--and in part because of the apparently ill-considered application of his logical principles to one of the most difficult issues in theology, viz., the mystery of the Trinity, stands out as the most visible of those who proposed a nonrealist or nominalist doctrine of universals, i.e., genus and species.6 His treatment of the Trinity brought about the condemnation of his writings at the Council of Soissons in lo92. Although at the council Roscelin abjured the opinions contained in them, it is noteworthy that Ivo of Chartres remarks that after the council Roscelin was said to have returned to his previous views and even to have sought to convince others of them, insuring that his ideas would survive.7 While Roscelin found new disciples, the application of his proto-nominalism to the mystery of the Trinity elicited a violent attack from his own former student, Peter Abelard. Abelard describes Roscelin's views as "insane" and attempted to respond in his Theologia'SummiBoni' (composed probably between 1117 and 112 l) to Roscelin's trinitarianism. Ironically,because Abelard himself was unable to overcome his teacher's influence (although he sought to deny it), his own...