Ordinatio

John Duns Scotus

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

Articulus III: III. About Other Transcendentals

Articulus IV: IV. Doubt about the First Object of the Intellect for this Present State

Articulus V: V. To the Initial Arguments

  1. Ad argumenta principalia istius quaestionis respondeo. - Ad primum dico quod non semper 'perfectissimum' est causa respectu imperfectorum, comparando imperfecta ad quodcumque tertium (sicut perfectum album non est causa visibilitatis omnibus visibilibus), aut si sit causa, non tamen praecisa et adaequata, - et si maxime motivum, non tamen praecisum et adaequatum. Primum autem obiectum intellectus de quo loquimur in ista quaestione debet esse primum adaequatum potentiae.

  2. Ad secundam rationem dico quod si recte arguatur debet inferri quod 'nullum ens participatum potest cognosci nisi sit ens ab ente imparticipato', et non debet inferri quod 'non potest cognosci nisi per rationem entis imparticipati cogniti': tunc enim sunt quattuor termini, quia ponitur in conclusione 'esse cognitum per ens imparticipatum', qui terminus non fuit in propositione secunda. Et ratio realis istius defectus, assignati in forma arguendi, dicta est prius in respondendo ad primum argumentum secundae quaestionis huius distinctionis, quia etsi cognoscibilitas sequatur porportionaliter entitatem, non tamen sequitur eam in cognosci, nisi comparando 'ad illum intellectum qui cognoscit quodlibet secundum gradum suae cognoscibilitatis'. Ita dico hic quod licet entitas participata concludat de necessitate cognoscibilitatem imparticipatam, et ita participatam habeat cognoscibilitatem propter cognoscibile imparticipatum, non tamen 'cognosci' per cognoscibile imparticipatum ut cognitum, sed ut causam dantem sibi 'esse'; et hoc tactum est in argumento quodam 'de frui' quaestione quarta primae distinctionis.

  3. Ad illud VIII De Trinitate dico quod loquitur de cognitione 'boni in communi', quae 'impressa' est - hoc est de facili imprimitur in intellectu a singularibus, quia intentiones universales facilius in quolibet occurrunt. Hoc probo per ipsum eodem libro cap. 7, ubi dicit: ((Habemus regulariter infixam humanae naturae notitiam, secundum quam quidquid tale aspicimus, hominem esse cognoscimus vel hominis formam)). Et sicut secundum istam notitiam hominis, quam dicit 'infixam regulariter' - hoc est faciliter a sensibilibus abstractam iudicamus de quocumque utrum sit homo vel non, ita etiam per idem possemus iudicare eminentiam in'humanitate' si illa esset in occurrentibus, quod apparet de notitia impressa albedinis, per quam non tantum iudicamus occurrens esse 'album', sed hoc esse albius altero. Ita dico hic: illud 'bonum' de quo loquitur cap. 5 - cuius 'notitia impressa est naturaliter intellectui' - est 'bonum in communi', et per illud iudicamus de occurrentibus hoc illo esse melius.

  4. Et quod loquatur de bono 'indeterminato privative', et non de bono 'indeterminato negative' (in quo bono intelligatur Deus), videtur per hoc, quia ibi - enumeratis multis particularibus bonis - dicit: ((Bonum hoc et bonum illud, tolle 'hoc' et tolle 'illud', et vide ipsum 'bonum', si potes)) - hoc est, 'tolle illa contrahentia rationem boni ad creaturas, et vide rationem boni in communi', et in hoc 'vidisti Deum' sicut in conceptu communi primo, in quo potest naturaliter a nobis videri, et non in particulari ut 'haec essentia'.

  5. Consimiliter intelligendum est illud quod praemittit cap. 3, ibi 'Deus est veritas': ((Noli quaerere quid sit veritas, statim obicient se phantasmata)). - Hoc intelligo sic: quando conceptus universalis abstrahitur a singulari, quanto est universalior tanto difficilius potest intellectus diu sistere in tali conceptu, quia, ut praedictum est, quandocumque 'intelligimus universale, phantasiamur eius singulare'; et illud universale facilius et diutius possumus intelligere, quod est similius singulari relucenti in phantasmate, - et universalissima sunt remotiora ab ipso singulari, et ideo difficillimum est stare in conceptu illorum universalissimorum. Concipiendo igitur Deum in conceptu universalissimo, 'noli quaerere quid hoc est', noli descendere in aliquem conceptum particularem in quo ille universalior salvatur, qui particularior propinquior est phantasmati. Descendendo enim ad talem qui magis relucet in phantasmatibus occurrentibus, 'statim amittitur illa serenitas veritatis, in qua intelligebatur Deus', quia statim intelligitur veritas contracta, quae non convenit Deo - cui conveniebat veritas in communi concepta non contracta.

  6. Contra. - Capitulo 5 vel 10: ((Si potueris per se perspicere bonum, perspexeris Deum, et si amore inhaeseris, continuo beatificaberis)). Beatitudo non est in bono universali sive 'indeterminato privative'. Item, capitulo 10 vel 26: ((Unde iusti esse poterint, nisi inhaerendo ipsi formae quam intuentur, ut inde formentur?)) Formari forma iustitiae non est ab universali intellecto.

  7. Per idem etiam dico ad illud VIII cap. 5 de bono et voluntate, ((pudeat, cum alia non amentur nisi quia bona sunt, eis inhaerendo non amare bonum ipsum unde bona sunt)). Bene probat ratio quod ipsum bonum summum magis est amandum quam bona participata, non tamen probat quod sit primum amatum primitate adaequationis, - et quia etsi ipsum sit ratio bonitatis in aliis, et ita ratio amabilitatis eorum, non tamen ipsum ut amatum est ratio aliorum ut amatorum: potest enim aliquid ad amari ipso non amato, sicut patet 'utendo fruendis vel fruendo utendis'.

  8. Et ista intentio Augustini colligitur ex cap. 7 IX, ubi tractans de dilectione alicuius quia 'creditur esse iustus', si postea inveniatur non esse iustus, ((statim)) - inquit - ((amor ille, per quem ferebar in eum, repulsus et quasi repercussus, in ea forma permanet in qua eum talem amaveram)); hoc est si dilexi iustitiam, et ipsum quia credidi in ipso esse iustitiam, si inveniam 'iniustum', resilit voluntas ab eo, sed adhuc stat dilectio ipsius iustitiae ut obiecti. Istud non est de iustitia aliqua imparticipata, sed de communi ratione iustitiae, quae amatur propter se, et quodcumque in quo est ista, propter illam.

  9. Contra: voluntas non est universalium, tum quia tendit in rem ut in se, tum quia tam amor amicitiae quam concupiscentiae est alicuius secundum exsistentiam realem, praesentem vel possibilem.

  10. Respondeo. Primis principiis practicis in intellectu correspondet aliqua volitio, quae est principium bonitatis moralis sicut illa principia sunt principia veritatis practicae in intellectu. - Patet etiam quod quaecumque ratio boni vel appetibilis potest intelligi in universali: et si sic ostendatur voluntati, quare non potest habere actum circa proprium obiectum ostensum? - Tertio: appetitiva 'singularis' ut singularis tantum, non habet cognitivam 'universalis' propriam sibi.

  11. Ad illam metaphoram 'motus animae ad res': - hoc est causaliter, quia imperat coniungi rei desideratae in se, non autem formaliter, nisi quia voluntas est activa sui actus, sed non circa rem, sub maiore ratione exsistentis quam apprehendatur ab intellectu; immo desiderium et intellectio abstractiva sunt rei sub ratione aeque exsistentis ut obiecti (ita visio et fruitio praesentis), sed desiderium movet effective ad rem quia est imperium, non sic intellectio abstractiva.

  12. Ad secundum dico quod homo in universali ostensus amatur amore amicitiae, et propter illud amatur 'hic homo': sic etiam iustitia in universali concupiscitur, et ideo 'haec iustitia' huic.

  13. Ita etiam patet expositio illius auctoritatis VIII cap. 10 vel 27, 'Cur alium diligimus' etc.: in illa auctoritate 'forma', ((ubi videmus quid sit 'iustus animus')), debet intelligi ipsa 'iustitia in communi' sicut forma 'hominis in communi' est illa per quam videmus quid requiratur ad esse hominem, et per quam formam iudicamus illud quod occurrit esse vel non esse hominem, secundum ipsum in eodem, cap. 7; 'nisi igitur hanc formam in communi diligeremus, non diligeremus illum quem credimus esse iustum, quem ex ista forma diligimus' - sicut si non diligas formam hominis in communi, numquam occurrens, propter formam hominis dilectam diliges; 'et dum non sumus iusti, minus diligimus iustitiam in communi quam oportet', quia diligimus quadam volitione seu complacentia simplici, quae non sufficit ad esse iustum, sed oportet eam diligere volitione efficaci, qua videlicet volens eligeret ipsam in se tamquam vitae suae regulam observare. Est igitur hic iustitia 'indeterminata privative', secundum quam de 'mente iusta' iudicamus, et propter quam dilectam diligimus mentem quam credimus esse iustam.

Pars II: Second Part - About the Vestige/Footprint

Quaestio I: Single Question - Whether in Every Creature there is a Vestige of the Trinity

Articulus I: I. To the Question

Section I: A. On the Idea of Footprint/Vestige

Subsection I: 1. Opinion of Others

Subsection II: 2. Against this Opinion

Subsection III: 3. Scotus’ own Opinion

Section II: B. About Ratification and Somesort-ness

Subsection I: 1. Opinion of Others

Subsection II: 2. Rejection of the Opinion

Sub-subsection I: a. A First Rejection of the Opinion

Sub-subsection II: b. Another Rejection of the Opinion

Subsection III: 3. Scotus’ own Opinion

Subsection IV: 4. To the Reasons for the Rejected Opinion

Section III: -

Articulus II: II. To the Initial Arguments

Pars III: Third Part - About the Image

Quaestio I: Question 1 - Whether in the Intellective Part Properly Taken there is a Memory that has an Intelligible Species Naturally Prior to the Act of Understanding

Articulus I: I. To the Question

Section I: A. The Opinion of Others

Section II: B. Scotus’ Response and his own Opinion

Subsection I: 1. Reasons on the Part of the Universality of the Object

Subsection II: 2. Reasons on the Part of the Presence of the Object

Subsection III: 3. Scotus’ Concluding Opinion

Subsection IV: 4. To the Reasons from the Authorities

Section III: -

Articulus II: II. To the Initial Arguments

Articulus III: III. To the Arguments for the Opinion of Others

Quaestio II: Question 2 - Whether the Intellective Part Properly Taken or Something of it is the Total Cause Generating Actual Knowledge or is the Idea of Generating

Articulus I: I. Six Opinions of Others are Expounded and Rejected

Section I: A. About the First Opinion

Subsection I: 1. Exposition of the Opinion

Section I: 2. Rejection of the Opinion

Section II: B. About the Second Opinion

Subsection I: 1. Exposition of the opinion

Subsection II: 2. Rejection of the Opinion

Section III: C. About the Third and Fourth Opinion

Subsection I: 1. Exposition of the Opinions

Subsection II: 2. Rejection of the Opinions

Section IV: D. About the Fifth and Sixth Opinion

Subsection I: 1. Exposition of the Opinions

Subsection II: 2. Rejection of the Opinions

Subsection III: 3. Rejection of the Sixth Opinion Specifically

Articulus II: II. Scotus’ own Opinion

Articulus III: III. To the Arguments for the Opinions

Section I: A. To the Arguments for the First Opinion

Section II: B. To the Arguments for the Second Opinion

Section III: C. To the Things Said in the Third and Fourth Opinion

Section IV: D. To the Arguments of the Fifth Opinion

Articulus IV: IV. To the Initial Arguments

Quaestio III: Question 3 - Whether the More Principal Cause of Generated Knowledge is the Object Present in Itself or in the Species, or the Very Intellective Part of the Intellect

Articulus I: I. Solution of the Question

Articulus II: II. To the Initial Arguments

Quaestio IV: Question 4 - Whether there is Distinctly in the Mind an Image of the Trinity

Articulus I: I. To the Question

Section I: A. About the Image of the Trinity in Us

Section II: B. Two Doubts

Subsection I: 1. To the First Doubt

Subsection II: 2. To the Second Doubt

Subsection III: 3. Corollary

Articulus II: II. To the Initial Arguments

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