Albertus Magnus: Doctor Universalis ed. by Gerbert Meyer, O.P., and Albert Zimmermann (review)

BOOK REVIEWS 651 the history of science, can afford to ignore it. Surely it is not without justification that the Paduan philo,sopher, Agostino Nifo, calls Albert" the first of the Latins. " · WILLIAM E. CARROLL CorneU College Mount Vernon, Iowa Albertus Magnus: Doctor UniversaUs. Edited by Gerbert Meyer, O.P. and Albert Zimmermann. Mainz, West Germany: Matthias-GrunewaldVerlag , 1980. Pp. 586. No price available.·Celebrations ·of anniversaries of prominent theologians and philosophers have at least one good result: the Festschriften which often are produced. The septicentennial of the death of Albert the Great is one such anniversary , since already at least three Festschriften have appeared. Francis J. iKovach and Robert W. Shahan have excellently edited a volume of nine papers on Albert's positions in logic, physics and metaphysics, as well as on Albert in reference to one of his predecessors (Avicebron) and to a subsequent author (Galileo): Albert the Great: Commemorative Essays (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1980). Another volume of twenty-two articles on Albert's contributions to such natural sciences as philosophy of nature, astronomy and astrology, alchemy, mineralogy, chemistry , physiofo>gy, psychology, botany, herbalism, medicine, embryology, falconry ,and mathematics has been capably edited by James A. Weisheipl, O.P., under the title of Albertus Magnus and the Sciences: Commemorative Essays (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1980). A third set of papers on topics in Albert's theology and metaphysics is published in this current issue of The Thomist. To this series of Festschriften Gerbert Meyer and Albert Zimmermann now add the volume they have edited, Albertus Magnus: Doctur Universalis . Besides their "Vonvort "and a helpful bibliography drawn up by Johannes Schopfer, this consists of twenty articles, fifteen of which are in German, three in English and two in French. There is something on topics in almost every academic area except metaphysics. Four articles are on points in Albert's theology: Albert Fries, " Zur Entstehungszeit der Bibelkommentare Alberts des Grossen"; Johannes Schneider," Die Bestimmung des Tugendbegriffs in den Schriften Alberts De Natura Boni und Summa de Bono"; Walter Senner, "Zur Wissenschaftstheorie der Theologie im Sentenzenkommentar Alberts des Grossen"; Edouard Henri Weber, " L'interpretation par Albert le Grand de la theologie mystique de Denys le ps.-Areopagite." Another article concerns Albert's ethics: Clemens Van- 65~ BOOK REVIEWS steenkiste, " Das erste Buch der Nikomachischen Ethik bei Albertus Magnus ." Several take up topics in his philosophy of nature: Paul Hossfeld, " Die Arbeitsweise des Albertus Magnus in seinen naturphilosophischen Schriften "; Gerbert Meyer," Das Grundproblem der Bewegung bei Albert dem Grossen und Thomas von Aquin "; Paul Hossfeld, " ' Erste Materie ' und ' Materie im allgemeinen ' in den werken des Albertus Magnus "; Ingrid Craemer-Guegenberg, " Die Seele als Form in einer hierarchie von Formen: Beobachtungen zu einem Lehrstiick aus der De-Anima-Paraphrase Alberts des Grossen"; James A. Weisheipl, "The Axiom 'Opus Naturae Est Opus Intelligentiae' and Its Origins." Still other chapters in the volume are devoted to various natural sciences or, more generally, to the scientific methodology he used: Christian Hiinemorder, "Die medizinische Denken bei Albertus Magnus"; Jerry Stannard," The Botany of St. Albert the Great "; and William A. Wallace, " The Scientific Methodology of St. Albert the Great." A couple of chapters take up Albert's way of research and· his poetic ability, as evidenced in composing liturgical sequences: Yves Congar, "'In Dulcedine Societatis Quaerere Veritatem ': Notes sur le travail en equipe chez S. Albert et chez Jes Precheurs au XIII• siecle " and Albert Fries, " Albertus Magnus Prosator." A final set of studies locate him with respect to the Latin Averroists of his time and to his fifteenth-century followers: Albert Zimmermann, "Albertus Magnus und der lateinische Averroismus "; Martin Bauer, "' Secundum Modum Albertistarum '-Ein Albertistischer Kommentar zu De Anima (Koln 1482} im Vergleich mit dem Text des Albertus "; Isnard W. Frank, "Zurn Albertus-Autograph in der Osterreichischen Nationalbibliothek in Wien und zum ' Albertinismus ' der Wiener Dominikaner im Spiitmittelalter "; Rudolf Haubst, "Albert wie Cusanus ihn sah." All in all, Meyer and Zimmermann have put forth a volume of which they, as well as Albert himself, can be proud: the articles are well documented and intelligently researched on important topics; they appear to make fresh contributions to our understanding and appreciation of Albert. The...