ABELARDIAN THEORY OF MENTAL IMAGES AND PURE FORMS

Description

This monograph was composed in 1985. The twelfth century French Philosopher, Pierre Abelard’s theory of Mental Images and Pure Forms is obviously the most comprehensive intellectual exercise. It is the true precursor of modern semiology. It traces have been perceived in the general French tradition of the Seventeenth and eighteenth centuries of Rene Descartes, Port Royal Logic, Condillac and Destutt de Tracy. Aberlard’s pioneering work in areas of contemporary philosophical concern, namely, language, logic, and metaphysics, as well as independent spirit in ethics and theology, virtually guaranteed that he would be among the first medieval thinkers to be taken up and championed within the Anglo-American philosophical tradition. The essays in this book highlights philosophically valuable areas of Abelard’s thought that have until now been neglected, showing wherever possible precisely how Abelard’s views contribute to current debates in philosophy of language, logic, metaphysics, philosophical theology, and ethics.

“It is not difficult to see why, of all the great philosophers of the Middle Ages, perhaps none appeals more than Abelard to the sensibilities of contemporary analytical philosophers. His pioneering work in areas of contemporary philosophical concern, namely, language, logic, and metaphysics, as well as independent spirit in ethics and theology, virtually guaranteed that he would be among the first medieval thinkers to be taken up and championed within the Anglo-American philosophical tradition. As one of the first, and best, to undertake on overarching nominalistic program in philosophy, moreover, he remains a source of insight and inspiration for many. Over the past few decades, scholarship on Abelard has begun to flourish, and the attention now being devoted to his work is unprecedented. Even so, we are only just beginning to recover and appreciate the full significance of his thought. Moreover, in addition to displaying recent developments on topics already of concern to scholars, these essays highlight philosophically valuable areas of Abelard’s thought that have until now been neglected, showing wherever possible precisely how Abelard’s views contribute to current debates in philosophy of language, logic, metaphysics, philosophical theology, and ethics.” – Jeffrey E. Brower, The Cambridge Companion to Abelard, Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Harjeet Singh Gill, Emeritus Professr of Semiotics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.