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

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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?

  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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'.

  11. 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.

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

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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