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
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
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Primo arguo sic: species ex hoc quod est talis species, habet talem rationem repraesentandi, et hoc respectu obiecti sub tali ratione repraesentati; ergo eadem species manens, non habet duas rationes repraesentativas, nec est repraesentativa respectu duarum rationum in repraesentabili. Sed intelligere obiectum sub ratione universalis et singularis requirit duplicem rationem repraesentativam vel repraesentandi, et est respectu duplicis rationis 'repraesentabilis' formaliter; ergo idem manens idem, non repraesentat sic et sic: ergo phantasma, quod de se repraesentat obiectum sub ratione singularis, non potest repraesentare ipsum sub ratione universalis.
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Responsio: idem repraesentativum in alio et alio lumine, repraesentat obiectum sub alia et alia ratione, sicut nocte lucentia in lumine diei se repraesentant sub ratione coloratorum, in lumine noctis sub ratione lucentium.
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Contra. 'Hoc repraesentativum' prius naturaliter est aliquid in se quam in tali lumine vel in tali repraesentet: quia enim est 'talis species', ideo congruit sibi lumen in quo repraesentet unum, et non aliud, - alioquin poneretur, vel posset poni, quod eadem species repraesentaret colorem et sonum (sed illa species ut est in aere tremulo, repraesentat sonum, ut in aere illuminato, repraesentat colorem), et ita non posset ostendi aliqua distinctio repraesentativorum. In illo ergo priore oportet intelligere 'unitatem speciei in se', quam consequatur unitas repraesentationis et obiecti repraesentabilis per ipsam in quantum repraesentatur in ea vel per eam, et ita aliquid quod idem est in isto priore, non potest habere diversam rationem repraesentandi, nec repraesentare istud sub alia et alia ratione repraesentabilis. - Confirmatur, quia lumen non repraesentat formaliter, nec est ratio formalis repraesentativi, sed tantum est in quo aliquid repraesentatur. Videtur etiam, quanto lumen est perfectius, tanto in ipso praecisius et distinctius relucet illud quod repraesentativum repraesentat.
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Nec exemplum aliquid valet ad propositum, immo est ad oppositum, quia vel duae qualitates sunt in tali corpore, ut lux et color, quarum altera multiplicat se in luce maiore praesente, alia in minore, quando nihil alterum efficacius movet (vel simul utraque multiplicat se in luce maiore, sed efficacius movens percipitur et minus efficaciter movens non percipitur: sicut stellae multiplicant de die radios suos, nec tamen videntur, quia aliud luminosius efficacius movet visum), - vel si una est qualitas sensibilis in tali corpore, ipsa in alio et alio lumine causat diversa repraesentativa, aliud scilicet in maiore, aliud in minore: et ita semper stat quod non est idem repraesentativum obiecti sub diversa ratione repraesentabilis, quantumcumque aliud lumen et aliud concurrat.
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Si respondeas quod idem secundum eandem qualitatem potest esse simile diversis, sicut unum album secundum eandem albedinem diversis albis, - hoc nihil est ad propositum, quia in relationibus ordinis essentialis non potest esse alia et alia dependentia, in aliquo, ad duo in eodem ordine: puta ut eiusdem mensurati ad duas mensuras in eodem ordine, nec eiusdem participantis ad duo participata in eodem ordine, nec eiusdem effectus ad duas causas totales in eodem ordine, - sicut probatum est in quaestione de unitate Dei prius; ergo in ista relatione, ubi non est tantum similitudo sed imitatio et exemplatio passiva, impossibile est idem absolutum referri ad diversa, et ita non potest esse eadem species in ratione repraesentantis diversorum sub ratione diversorum.
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Secundo ad illam viam primam arguo sic, quia repraesentativum secundum totam virtutem suam repraesentans aliquid sub una ratione, non potest simul repraesentare idem vel aliud sub alia ratione obiecti; sed phantasma - in quo intelligitur universale - secundum totam virtutem suam repraesentat obiectum ut singulare virtuti phantasticae, quia tunc est actualis imaginatio illius obiecti in singulari: et patet quod secundum totam virtutem phantasmatis, quia alias virtus phantastica non posset habere per phantasma ita perfectum actum circa obiectum sicut obiectum natum est repraesentari per illud phantasma; ergo tunc non potest phantasma repraesentare obiectum sub alia ratione repraesentabilis.
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Item, quare non potest in imaginativa esse actus respectu obiecti actu universalis, si potest esse ibi species respectu obiecti talis, cum actus sit quaedam species?
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Ex secunda via arguo sic: intellectus agens est mere potentia activa, secundum Philosophum III De anima, tum quia est ((quo est omnia facere)), tum quia comparatur ad possibilem etiam ((ut ars ad materia)); ergo potest habere actionem realem. Omnis actio realis habet aliquem terminum realem. Ille terminus realis non recipitur in phantasmate, quia illud receptum esset extensum, et ita intellectus agens non transferret ab ordine in ordinem, - nec illud esset magis proportionatum intellectui possibili quam phantasma; nec etiam intellectus agens causat aliquid in phantasmatibus, quia non est suum passivum, secundum praedictas auctoritates; ergo tantum recipitur in intellectu possibili, quia intellectus agens nullius est receptivus. Illud primum causatum non potest poni actus intelligendi, quia primus terminus actionis intellectus agentis est universale in actu, quia 'transfert de ordine in ordinem'; universale autem in actu praecedit actum intelligendi (sicut praeassumptum est in antecedente), quia obiectum sub ratione obiecti praecedit actum. Non arguitur hic quod phantasma cum intellectu agente non possit causare intellectionem, sed non intellectionem universalis nisi prius speciem - quia et 'actu universale' praecedit natura intellectionem sui, et universale est primus terminus eius.
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Et confirmatur ratio, quia ponitur intellectum agentem facere 'de non universali universale' vel 'de intellecto in potentia intel lectum in actu', sicut dicunt auctoritates Philosophi et Commentatoris. Cum universale ut universale, nihil sit in exsistentia, sed tantum sit in aliquo ut repraesentante ipsum sub tali ratione, ista verba nullum intellectum habebunt, nisi quia intellectus agens facit aliquid repraesentativum universalis de eo quod fuit repraesentativum singularis, quantumcumque illud 'de' intelligatur, materialiter vel virtualiter; actio realis non terminatur nisi ad repraesentativum obiecti sub ratione universalis; ergo realis actio intellectus agentis terminatur ad formam aliquam realem, in exsistentia, quae formaliter repraesentat universale ut universale, quia aliter non posset terminari actio eius ad universale sub ratione universalis.
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Hic de actione intellectus agentis, Godefridus: - removet prohibens, sequestrando quiditatem a singularitate, non in essendo sed in immutando; nec agit in phantasma, nec in possibilem, sed contingit phantasma virtualiter. Hoc sic exponitur: in phantasmate - 'quid' et 'hoc'; in lumine, concreato 'possibili', 'quid' est motivum potentiae sic illuminatae, 'hoc' non. - Exemplum: si simul album et dulce, album movet medium illuminatum, dulce non; ergo lumen abstrahit colorem a dulcedine et sequestrat, quantum ad immutare, et removet 'prohibens in non immutativum'.
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Contra. Aut 'quid' ut in phantasmate, habet sufficientem virtutem activam immutandi possibilem ad intellectionem universalis, et sequitur quod universale non est terminus actionis intellectus agentis, - aut non, et requiritur aliud 'agens proprie', agens eo modo quo ipsi 'quid' deest virtus activa proprie. Item, 'hoc', coniunctum 'quid', non prohibet - sicut nec 'quid' esse, ita nec esse motivum intellectus. Item, removens prohibens habet actionem praeviam actioni illius a quo removetur; da illam hic, et in quid? et ad quem terminum? Sed haec ratio solvitur per illud 'Hoc exponitur', quia arguit contra proprie removens, non contra disponens passum ad recipiendum.
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Item, secundo secundum istam viam, quia intellectus agens in ratione activi non excedit possibilem in ratione passivi; ergo quidquid causatur ab intellectu agente, recipitur in possibili. Ergo primus terminus actionis intellectus agentis recipitur in possibili, et ita cum prima actio intellectus agentis sit ad universale in actu, istud universale - vel illud quo ipsum habet 'esse' tale - recipitur in intellectu possibili.
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Secundum tertiam viam arguo sic: habitus minus universalis et magis universalis sunt distincti habitus proprii, alioquin metaphysica ut metaphysica non esset habitus intellectus, quia esset de obiecto universalissimo ad omnia alia obiecta. Habitu autem universaliore contingit uti non utendo aliquo alio habitu minus universali, sicut contingit habere actum intelligendi circa universalius - eodem modo quo respicitur ab habitu illo - non habendo actum circa minus universale; sed non habetur actus intelligendi circa universalius, nisi ipsum sub tali ratione sit praesens intellectui; ergo universalius potest esse praesens intellectui per aliud quam per quod est apud intellectum praesentia alicuius minus universalis: sed si praecise intelligeretur obiectum in phantasmate, numquam esset magis universale praesens nisi in minus universali, quia numquam nisi in singulari phantasiabili, - ergo etc.
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Item, ultimo quoad hanc viam: universalius numquam apprehenditur secundum suam indifferentiam totam, quando apprehenditur in suo inferiore. Tota enim indifferentia universalioris est secundum quod ipsum, ut conceptum, est idem cuilibet suo inferiori; numquam autem communius ut conceptum in inferiore aliquo, est idem inferiori cuilibet, sed praecise illi in quo concipitur; ergo quodcumque universale conceptum in singulari, vel communius in minus communi, non concipitur secundum totam indifferentiam suam: potest autem intellectus concipere illud secundum totam indifferentiam suam, igitur non concipitur praecise communius in minus communi vel universale in singulari, - et ita non praecise universale in phantasmate. Phantasma enim non est proprie nisi ipsius singularis, et hoc in quantum est singulare speciei specialissimae, - et hoc si phantasma sit impressum ab aliquo debite approximato.