Ordinatio
John Duns Scotus (1266–1308)
John Duns Scotus's Ordinatio (also called the Opus Oxoniense) is his revised, authorially prepared commentary on Peter Lombard's Sentences. Scotus began arranging it for publication around 1300 after lecturing at Oxford and continued revising material associated with Paris until his death in 1308; the work therefore remains unfinished and textually layered. Its disputations on God, creation, individuation, freedom, grace, and the Incarnation helped establish Scotism as a major alternative within late-medieval scholastic theology. Schola uses the Vatican critical-edition tradition for the Latin and a separately sourced English translation.
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Prologus I: Prologus Totius Operis
Pars I: Pars 1 - On the Necessity of Revealed Doctrine
Quaestio I: Single Question: On the Necessity of Revealed Doctrine - Whether it be necessary for man in this present state for some doctrine to be supernaturally inspired
Articulus I: 1. Controversy between Philosophers and Theologians
Section I: A. Opinion of the Philosophers
Section II: B. Rejection of the Opinion of the Philosophers
Articulus II: II. Solution of the Question
Articulus III: III. About the Three Principal Reasons against the Philosophers
Articulus IV: IV. To the Arguments of the Philosophers
Articulus V: V. To the Principal Arguments
Pars II: Pars 2 - On the Sufficiency of Revealed Doctrine
Quaestio I: Single Question: On the Sufficiency of Revealed Doctrine Whether the supernatural knowledge necessary for the wayfarer is sufficiently handed on in Sacred Scripture.
Articulus I: I. On the Truth of Sacred Scripture
Articulus II: II. Principal Response to the Question
Articulus III: III. To the Principal Arguments
Pars III: Pars 3 - On the Object of Theology
Quaestio I: Question 1: Whether theology is about God as about its first object.
Quaestio II: Question 2: Whether Theology is about God under some Special Idea
Quaestio III: Question 3: Whether Theology is about All Things from the Attribution of them to its First Subject
Articulus I: I. Preliminary Remarks
Articulus II: II. About Necessary Theology
Section I: A. To the First Question, speaking of Theology in itself
Section II: B. To the Second Question, speaking of Theology in itself
Section III: C. To the First Question, speaking of Our Theology
Articulus III: III. On Contingent Theology
Articulus IV: IV. On Christ as First Object
Articulus V: V. To the Principal Arguments of the First Question
Articulus VI: VI. To the principal Arguments of the Second Question
Articulus VII: VI. To the Third Question
Section I: A. Opinion of Others
Section II: B. Scotus’ own Response
Articulus VIII: VII. To the principal Arguments of the Third Question
Pars IV: Pars 4 - On Theology as a Science
Quaestio I: Questions 1 and 2 - Whether theology in itself is a science, and whether it is subalterning or subalternate
Articulus I: I. To the First Question
Articulus II: II. To the Second Question
Pars V: Pars 5 - On Theology insofar as it is a Practical Science
Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether theology is a practical or a speculative science
Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether a science is called practical per se from order to action as to its end
Articulus I: I. What Action [Praxis] is
Articulus II: II. How Practical Knowledge is Extended to Action
Articulus III: III. From what Source Knowledge has Extension to Action
Articulus IV: IV. To the Second Question
Articulus V: V. To the First Question
Section I: A. The Opinion of Others
Section II: B. Scotus’ own Opinion
Articulus VI: VI. To the Principal Arguments of the First Question.
Articulus VII: VII. To the Principal Arguments of the Second Question
Book 1
Distinctio I: First Distinction
Pars I: First Part - On the Object of Enjoyment
Quaestio I: Question 1: Whether the object of enjoyment per se is the ultimate end
Articulus I: I. To the Question
Tractatus I: II. To the Principal Arguments
Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether the ultimate end has only the one idea of enjoyability
Articulus I: I. To the Question
Section I: A. On the Enjoyment of the Wayfarer as to its Possibility
Section II: B. On the Enjoyment of the Comprehender when Speaking of the Absolute Power of God
Section III: C. On the Enjoyment of the Comprehender when Speaking of the Power of the Creature
Section IV: D. On the Enjoyment of the Comprehender and of the Wayfarer when Speaking of the Fact
Articulus II: II. To the Arguments
Section I: A. To the Principal Arguments
Section II: B. To the Reasons for the Opposite
Pars II: Second Part - On Enjoying in Itself
Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether enjoying is an act elicited by the will or a passion received in the will
Articulus I: I. To the Question
Articulus II: II. To the Principal Arguments
Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether when the end has been apprehended by the intellect the will must necessarily enjoy it
Articulus I: I. To the Question
Section I: A. The Opinion of Others
Section II: B. Attack on the Opinion of Others
Section III: C. Scotus’ Own Opinion
Section IV: D. To the Arguments for the Opinion of Others
Articulus II: II. To the Principal Arguments
Pars III: On the Enjoyer
Quaestio I: Whether Enjoying Belongs to God
Quaestio II: Whether the Wayfarer Enjoys
Quaestio III: Whether the Sinner Enjoys
Quaestio IV: Whether the Brutes Enjoy
Quaestio V: Whether All Things Enjoy
Articulus I: I. To the Questions Together
Articulus II: II. To the Principal Arguments
Distinctio II: Second Distinction
Pars I: First Part - On the Existence of God and his Unity
Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether among beings there is something existing actually infinite
Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether something infinite is known self-evidently
Articulus I: I. To the Second Question
Articulus II: II. To the Principal Arguments of the Second Question
Articulus III: III. To the First Question
Section I: A. The Existence of the Relative Properties of an Infinite Being is Made Clear
Section II: B. The Existence of an Infinite Being is Made Clear
Subsection I: 1. Conclusions preliminary to infinity are proposed and demonstrated
Subsection II: 2. The infinity of God is proved directly
Articulus IV: IV. To the Principal Arguments of the First Question
Quaestio III: Question 3 - Whether there is only one God
Articulus I: I. To the Question
Tractatus I: II. To the Arguments
Section I: A. To the Arguments for the Other Opinion
Section II: B. To the Principal Arguments
Pars II: Second Part - On the Persons and Productions in God
Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether there can be along with the unity of the divine essence a plurality of persons
Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether there are only three persons in the divine essence
Quaestio III: Question 3 - Whether being Produced can Stand in Something along with the Divine Essence
Quaestio IV: Question 4 - Whether in the Divine Essence there are only Two Intrinsic Productions
Articulus I: I. To the Third Question
Section I: A. Scotus’ own Proofs
Section II: B. Proofs of Others
Articulus II: II. To the Principal Arguments of the Third Question
Articulus III: III. To the Fourth Question
Section I: A. The Opinion of Henry of Ghent is Expounded
Section II: B. The Opinion of Henry of Ghent is Rejected
Section III: C. Scotus’ Own Opinion
Section IV: D. Instances against the Solution
Articulus IV: IV. To the Principal Arguments of the Fourth Question
Articulus V: V. To the Second Question
Tractatus I: A. About the Produced Persons in Divine Reality
Section I: B. About the Sole Non-produced Person in Divine Reality
Articulus VI: VI. To the Principal Arguments of the Second Question
Articulus VII: VII. To the First Question
Section I: A. Declaration of Scotus’ Own Solution
Section II: B. On Formal Distinction or Non-Identity
Articulus VIII: VIII. To the Principal Arguments of the First Question
Distinctio III: Third Distinction
Pars I: First Part - About the Knowability of God
Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether God is Naturally Knowable by the Intellect of the Wayfarer
Tractatus I: Question 2 - Whether God is the First Thing Naturally Known by Us in this State of Life
Articulus I: I. Clarification of the First Question
Articulus II: II. Opinion of Others as to Each Question
Articulus III: III. Scotus’ own Response to the First Question
Section I: A. A Quidditative Concept can be Had of God
Section II: B. About a Concept Univocal to God and Creatures
Section III: C. God Cannot be Known under his Proper Idea
Section IV: D. About the Concept of Infinite Being
Section V: E. God is Known through the Species of Creatures
Articulus IV: IV. To the Arguments of the First Question
Articulus V: V. Scotus’ own Response to the Second Question
Section I: A. About the Order of Origin of Intelligibles
Section II: B. About the Order of Perfection and Adequacy in Intelligibles
Articulus VI: VI. To the Arguments for the Second Question
Quaestio II: Question 3 - Whether God is the Natural First Object that is Adequate Relative to the Intellect of the Wayfarer
Quaestio III: Question 4 - Whether any Certain and Sincere Truth could Naturally be Known by the Intellect of the Wayfarer without a Special Illumining of Uncreated Light
Articulus I: I. Opinion of Henry
Articulus II: II. Attack on Henry’s Opinion and Solution of the Question
Section I: A. Against the Fundamental Reasons Adduced
Section II: B. Against the Opinion in Itself
Section III: C. Against the Fundamental Reasons insofar as they are Less Probative
Section IV: D. Against the Conclusion itself of the Opinion
Section V: E. Solution of the Question
Section VI: F. Once More Against the Fundamental Reasons Adduced
Articulus I: I. Opinion of Others
Section I: A. First Opinion
Section II: B. Second Opinion
Articulus II: II. To the Question
Section I: A. Of What Sort the Univocity of Being is and to What Things it Extends.
Section II: B. About the First Object of the Intellect
Section III: C. Arguments against the Univocity of Being and their Solution
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Contra istam univocationem entis arguitur: Per Philosophum III Metaphysicae, quia secundum ipsum ibi, ens non est genus, quia tunc secundum ipsum, ibidem, differentia non esset per se ens; si autem esset commune dictum in 'quid' de pluribus differentibus specie, videretur esse genus.
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Idem etiam in IV Metaphysicae, in principio, vult quod ens dicitur de entibus sicut 'sanum de sanis', et quod metaphysica est 'una' scientia non quia omnia illa de quibus est dicantur 'secundum unum', sed 'ad unum', scilicet non univoce sed analogice. Ergo subiectum metaphysicae non est univocum, sed est analogum.
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Idem etiam VII Metaphysicae dicit quod accidentia non sunt entia nisi quia entis, sicut logici dicunt 'non ens esse' et 'non scibile esse scibile', et sicut vas dicitur 'salubre'. In omnibus istis exemplis non est univocatio eius quod dicitur de pluribus.
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Et Porphyrius: ((Si quis omnia 'entia' vocet, aequivoce inquit - nuncupabit)).
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Item, I Physicorum: ((Principium est)) - contra Parmenidem et Melissum - ((quoniam ens multipliciter dicitur)); et arguit, quod 'si omnia sint unum ens': 'vel hoc unum ens vel illud', quod non sequeretur si ens esset univocum, sicut non sequitur 'omnis homo est unus homo, ergo iste unus homo vel ille unus homo'.
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Item, per rationem: si ens esset univocum ad decem genera, ergo descenderet in illa per aliquas differentias. Sint ergo duae tales differentiae, a et b: aut ergo istae includunt ens, et tunc in conceptu cuiuslibet generis generalissimi includitur nugatio, aut ista non sunt entia, et tunc non ens erit de intellectu entis.
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Ad primum. Quamvis argumenta III Metaphysicae non oportet dicere quod concludant, quia Philosophus intendit ibi arguere ad oppositas partes quaestionum quas disputat, sicut ipse praemittit in prooemio - duo autem opposita non possunt concludi nisi alterum argumentum sit sophisticum (unde C ommentator eius dicit, in primo argumento ad primam quaestionem ibi disputatam, esse fallaciam consequentis: ' si contraria pertinent ad eandem scientiam, ergo non contraria non pertinent ad eandem scientiam'), quamvis etiam istud argumentum, specialiter, non oportet tenere quod concludat: infert enim, ibidem, ((quare si 'unum' genus, aut 'ens', - nulla differentia, nec 'una' nec 'ens' erit)) (quaero aut intendit inferre quod 'non per se primo modo' erit differentia 'ens' vel 'unum', et sic conclusio non est inconveniens de 'uno', aut intendit inferre negativam absolute, et tunc consequentia non valet: non enim si 'rationale' est differentia respectu 'animalis', sequitur quod 'rationale non est animal', sed quod 'non est per se primo modo animal'), - tamen tenendo quod argumentum valeat, concludit oppositum magis quam propositum: removet enim ab ente rationem generis, non propter aequivocationem (immo, si esset aequivocum ad decem genera, esset decem genera, quia idem conceptus, quocumque nomine significetur, habet eandem rationem generis), sed removet rationem generis ab ente propter nimiam communitatem, quia videlicet praedicatur 'primo modo per se' de differentia, et per hoc posset concludi quod ens non sit genus.
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Et ad videndum quomodo hoc verum sit - cum tamen praedictum sit quod ens non praedicatur 'per se primo modo' de differentiis ultimis - distinguo de differentiis, quod aliqua potest sumi a parte essentiali ultima, quae est res alia et natura alia ab illo a quo sumitur conceptus generis, sicut si ponatur pluralitas formarum, et genus dicatur sumi a parte essentiali priori et differentia specifica a forma ultima. Tunc sicut ens dicitur in 'quid' de illa parte essentiali a qua sumitur differentia talis specifica, ita dicitur in 'quid' de tali differentia in abstracto, ita quod sicut haec est in 'quid' 'anima intellectiva est ens' - accipiendo eundem conceptum entis secundum quem dicitur de homine vel de albedine - ita haec est in'quid' 'rationalitas est ens', si 'rationalitas' sit talis differentia. Sed nulla talis differentia est ultima, quia in tali continentur realitates plures, aliquo modo distinctae (tali distinctione vel non identitate qualem dixi in quaestione prima distinctionis secundae esse inter essentiam et proprietatem personalem, vel maiore, sicut alias explanabitur), et tunc talis natura potest concipi secundum aliquid, hoc est secundum aliquam realitatem et perfectionem, et secundum aliquam ignorari, - et ideo talis naturae conceptus non est simpliciter simplex. Sed ultima realitas sive 'perfectio realis' talis naturae, a qua ultima realitate sumitur ultima differentia, est simpliciter simplex; ista realitas non includit ens quiditative, sed habet conceptum simpliciter simplicem. Unde si talis realitas sit a, haec non est in 'quid' 'a est ens', sed est per accidens, et hoc sive a dicat illam realitatem sive differentiam in abstracto, sumptam a tali realitate.
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Dixi igitur prius quod nulla differentia simpliciter ultima includit ens quiditative, quia est simpliciter simplex. Sed aliqua differentia, sumpta a parte essentiali - quae pars est natura in re, alia a natura a qua sumitur genus - illa differentia non est simpliciter simplex, et includit ens in 'quid': et ex hoc quod talis differentia est ens in 'quid', sequitur quod ens non est genus, propter nimiam communitatem entis. Nullum enim genus dicitur de aliqua differentia inferiore in 'quid', neque de illa quae sumitur a forma neque de illa quae sumitur ab ultima realitate formae (sicut patebit distinctione 8), quia semper illud a quo sumitur conceptus generis, secundum se est potentiale ad illam realitatem a qua accipitur conceptus differentiae, sive ad illam formam si differentia sumatur a forma.
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Et si arguas contra istud quod si 'rationale' includit ens quiditative et quaelibet differentia consimilis (quae scilicet sumitur a parte essentiali, non ab ultima realitate eius), igitur addendo talem differentiam generi erit nugatio, eo quod ens bis dicetur, - respondeo quod quando duo inferiora ad tertium sic se habent quod unum denominat alterum, illud commune, particulariter, denominat se ipsum: sicut 'albedo', quae est inferior ad ens, denominat 'animal', quod est inferius ad ens. Et ideo sicut est denominativa ista 'animal est album', ita 'ens' quod est superius ad 'album' potest denominare 'animal', sive ens particulariter, sumptum pro animali: puta si illud denominativum esset entale, haec esset vera 'aliquod ens est entale'. Et sicut ibi concedo 'denominationem accidentalem' sine nugatione, nec tamen idem omnino denominat se, eodem modo conceptum, ita hic, 'animal rationale', nam in animali includitur ens quiditative, et in rationali includitur ens denominative; et sicut 'rationalitas' est ens, ita 'rationale' denominatur ab ente: esset ergo hic nugatio, 'animal rationalitas', non hic, 'animal rationale', - sicut esset hic, 'animal albedo', non hic, 'animal album' .
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Ad aliud, quod dicitur de IV Metaphysicae, respondeo quod Philosophus X Metaphysicae concedit ordinem essentialem esse inter species eiusdem generis, quia ibi vult quod in genere est unum primum quod est mensura aliorum. Mensurata autem habent essentialem ordinem ad mensuram, et tamen, non obstante tali attributione, concederet quilibet 'unum' esse conceptum generis, alias genus non praedicaretur in 'quid' de pluribus differentibus specie. Si enim genus non haberet 'unum' conceptum, alium a conceptibus specierum, nullus conceptus diceretur de pluribus in 'quid', sed tantum quilibet de se ipso, et tunc nihil praedicaretur ut genus de specie, sed ut idem de eodem.
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Consimiliter, Philosophus VII Physicorum dicit quod 'in genere latent aequivocationes ', propter quas non potest esse comparatio secundum genus. Non tamen est aequivocatio quantum ad logicum, qui ponit diversos conceptus, sed quantum ad realem philosophum, est aequivocatio, quia non est ibi unitas naturae. Ita igitur omnes auctoritates quae essent in Metaphysica et Physica, quae essent de hac materia, possent exponi, propter diversitatem realem illorum in quibus est attributio, cum qua stat tamen unitas conceptus abstrahibilis ab eis, sicut patuit in exemplo. - Concedo tunc quod totum quod accidens est, attributionem habet essentialem ad substantiam, et tamen ab hoc et ab illo potest conceptus communis abstrahi.
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Ad illa quae dicuntur de VII Metaphysicae respondeo quod littera ultimi paragraphi, de illa materia, solvit omnes auctoritates Philosophi (quae incipit ibi 'Palam autem illud'). Ibi enim dicit Philosophus quod ((quae primo et simpliciter 'definitio' et 'quod quid erat esse', substantiarum est; et non solum, sed aliorum simpliciter est, non tamen primo)). Et probat hoc ibi, quia ratio significans 'quid' nominis, est definitio, si illud cuius per se est ratio, est 'per se unum'. (('Unum' vero dicitur sicut et ens)), et intellige 'per se ens'; per se ((ens autem, hoc quidem, hoc aliquid, aliud quantitatem, aliud qualitatem significat)), - quod verum est de 'ente per se', quia 'ens per se' in V divisit in decem genera: ergo quodlibet istorum est 'unum per se', et ita ratio istorum est definitio. Et hoc concludit ibi: ((Quapropter erit hominis ratio et definitio, et aliter sicut albi, et substantiae)), quia 'substantiae' per se et primo, 'albi' simpliciter et per se sed non primo, 'albi hominis' secundum quid et per accidens. Unde in illo capitulo tractat principaliter de tali 'ente per accidens', cuiusmodi est 'homo albus', quod eius non sit definitio. 'Ens' igitur, vel 'quid', vel 'definitionem habere', et quodcumque istorum, simpliciter dicitur de accidente vel de attributis sicut et de substantia, sed non aeque primo. Et non obstante ordine, potest bene esse univocatio.
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Ad Porphyrium. Ipse allegat alium, dicendo ((aequivoce, inquit)). Quis 'inquit'? Aristoteles enim, de quo loquitur. Non invenitur ubi hoc dixerit in Logica. In Metaphysica dicit hoc, sicut allegatum iam est et expositum. Si quis vellet tractare auctoritatem Porphyrii quomodo ratio eius ex auctoritate Aristotelis valet ad propositum suum, posset exponi, sed nolo immorari.
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Quod arguitur de I Physicorum, respondeo: ad opinionem illam Parmenidis et Melissi destruendam (principium est accipere quod ens dicitur 'multipliciter', non aequivoce sed 'multipliciter', hoc est 'de multis'), inquirendum est de quo illorum intelligant, sicut si dicerent 'omnia esse unum animal', contra eos esset distinguere 'animal', et quaerere de quo illi intelligunt - aut omnia esse ((unum hominem, aut unum equum)). - Item, cum dicis quod argumentum Philosophi non valeret contra eos, si ens esset univocum, - respondeo quod consequentia illa, descendendo sub praedicato stante confuse tantum, non tenet formaliter, sed est figura dictionis et fallacia consequentis; tamen si ipsi intellexerunt, sicut Philosophus imponit eis, quod 'omnia sunt unum' non loquendo de 'uno confuse', sed 'uno' aliquo determinato, bene sequitur - ad antecedens sic intellectum - quod omnia sunt 'hoc unum', vel 'illud unum'.