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

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

  1. Cum arguitur in opinione prima quod 'recipere speciem convenit sensui praecise quia potentia organica', dico quod falsum est, quia illud non est praecisa causa. Sed praecisa causa, cuiuscumque potentiae, habendi speciem repraesentantem obiectum suum ut suum est, est ista, quia ipsa est cognitiva, - et natura dedit sibi ut possit habere obiectum praesens sibi prius naturaliter quam cognoscat. Sed potentiae organicae dedit ut obiectum sit praesens non in potentia ipsa sed in organo, hoc est in parte corporis quam perficit potentia organica: et ista praesentia sufficit, quia totum - compositum ex parte corporis sic mixta et ex potentia - est organum; et huic toti obiectum sufficienter est praesens quando species est in illa parte corporis. Cum ergo intellectui nihil perfectionis auferatur in quantum potentia cognitiva est, per hoc quod non est organicus, immo magis additur perfectio, - sequitur quod sibi potest esse obiectum praesens ante actum, sicut aliis potentiis cognitivis; sed illa praesentia non erit per aliquid impressum organo, quia non habet organum: igitur erit per aliquid impressum ipsi potentiae. Tale impressum repraesentans, praecedens in potentia intellectiva actum intelligendi, voco 'speciem intelligibilem'.

  2. Breviter ergo: sensus habet obiectum praesens in illa parte corporis, quae dicitur 'organum' illius sensus; sed intellectus tam illam praesentiam priorem actu quam ipsum actum habet ratione eiusdem receptivi.

  3. Et ideo falsum accipitur quod species talis non est praecise nisi propter organum. Natura enim causat talem partem talis corporis sic mixtam, ut esset perfectibilis a tali potentia animae et congrueret operationi eius, quia ((materia est propter formam)) et non e converso, II Physicorum, et I De anima: ((membra enim leonis non differunt a membris cervi nisi quia anima ab anima)). Non ergo forma est propter materiam, sed e converso. Et ideo talis pars facta est talis speciei receptiva, ut per talem speciem sit obiectum praesens tali composito, quod est totum organum. Unde non prima causa praesentiae obiecti in specie est talis dispositio corporis, sed prior causa est ut potentia apprehensiva habeat obiectum actu cognoscibile, sibi praesens, vel in se ipsa, vel in aliquo quod est pars ipsius organi in tali operatione.

  4. Ad aliud, de Philosopho, quod 'intellectus est locus specierum': potest exponi quod intellectus dicitur 'locus specierum' quia salvans (sicut dicitur quod ipsius 'loci' est salvare locatum), et aliae potentiae non sunt 'loca' quia non ita salvant. Species quippe intelligibilis non videtur deleri sicut sensibilis, quia species sensibilis ita est in organo quod corrumpitur per contrarium formaliter, vel per dispositionem in susceptivo disconvenientem tali formae sicut patet secundum Philosophum in libro De memoria et reminiscentia, quod senes et iuvenes et pueri sunt male reminiscitivi propter nimiam abundantiam humorum, et etiam propter laesionem et indispositionem organi. Isto utroque modo non est species intelligibilis in intellectu, ut per se deleatur per aliquod contrarium ad ipsum seu per indispositionem susceptivi. - Aliae multae congruentiae possent assignari circa illud vocabulum 'locus', circa quod non oportet modo immorari.

  5. Quod additur de Philosopho quod ((speculamur 'quod quid est' in phantasmatibus)), etc., - pro omnibus talibus auctoritatibus dico quod talis est conexio istarum potentiarum phantasiae et intellectus pro statu isto, quod nihil intelligimus in universali nisi cuius singulare phantasiamur, nec est alia conversio ad phantasmata nisi quod intelligens universale imaginatur eius singulare: nec intellectus videt 'quod quid est' in phantasmatibus sicut in ratione videndi, sed intelligens 'quod quid est' relucens in specie intelligibili, ut relucens in specie intelligibili, videt illud in suo singulari, viso per virtutem phantasticam in phantasmate.

  6. Quod adducitur 'de Augustino qui non ponit speciem intelligibilem in memoria, sed scientiam', respondeo: ubi ponit scientiam, statim ponit aliquid quod includit speciem intelligibilem, licet non utatur isto vocabulo, - quia XV De Trinitate cap. 10, cum praemisisset quod ((ex ipsa scientia quam memoria tenemus, gignitur verbum)), subdit quod ((formata cogitatio ab ea re quam scimus, verbum est)); et ibidem, cap. 12, cum praemisisset ((Simillima est visio cogitationis visioni scientiae)), subdit: ((Quando quod est in notitia hoc est in verbo, tunc est verum verbum)); et in eodem cap. 12, in fine - ((verbum simillimum rei notae de qua gignitur, et de visione scientiae visio cogitationis exoritur)), subdit: ((Nec interest quando illud didicerit qui quod scit loquitur)); similiter cap. 22: ((Quando ad memoriam meam aciem cogitationis meae converto, ac si in corde meo dico quod 'scio')), etc. Item, XV Trinitatis cap. 27 vel 82, quando loquitur de luce in qua videntur vera, ((Ipsa)) - inquit - ((ostendit tibi verbum verum esse in te, quando de scientia tua gignitur, id est quando quod scimus dicimus)). - Haec ille.

  7. Ex istis omnibus apparet quod illud quod Augustinus attribuit memoriae ut rationi scientiae ut gignenti, exponit se semper de obiecto praesente in memoria. Non est autem obiectum praesens in memoria, ut memoria intellectiva est, per scientiam ut est habitus distinctus a specie. Ergo oportet quod intelligat istam praesentiam esse per speciem intelligibilem, et sub illa ratione sub qua etiam distinguitur ab habitu scientiae proprie sumptae.

  8. Et hoc modo etiam debet accipi illud verbum Philosophi III De anima, qui cum praemisisset quod anima est ((quodammodo omnia)), subdit: ((per sensum est sensibilia, per scientiam scibilia)). - Scientia quippe, tam apud Philosophum quam apud Augustinum, in locis praedictis, accipitur pro ipsa praesentia habituali obiecti in memoria intellectiva, quae 'praesentia habitualis' est virtualiter scientia de tali obiecto, quia in obiecto sic praesente continetur virtualiter tota scientia de tali obiecto.

  9. Haec species est illa scientia quae reducit de potentia essentiali ad accidentalem (secundum Aristotelem VIII Physicorum et II De anima), non autem illa quae proprie dicitur scientia, quae scilicet est habilitas derelicta ex actibus, nam ante illam ad primum actum considerandi requiritur quod sit iam reductus intellectus de potentia essentiali ad accidentalem, alioquin tunc non operaretur. Nec incongrue species in qua relucet quiditas dicitur 'scientia', non tantum virtualiter quia totam continet, sed formaliter potest dici 'habitus cognitivus', quia qualitas mansiva in intellectu, disponens quantum ad actum.

  10. Et ex hoc, scilicet ex prima condicione, habetur argumentum pro specie intelligibili, quia non videtur quomodo possit aliqua scientia tota dici 'una' ratione primi obiecti, nisi quatenus illa scientia continetur virtualiter in illo primo obiecto intelligibili: non enim tota illa scientia dicitur 'una' ab obiecto, quatenus obiectum continens illam relucet in phantasmate, quia illa non esset 'unitas' habitus intellectualis sed alicuius imaginationis.

  11. Quod arguitur post, pro secunda opinione, quod 'potentia quae est ad aliquem actum, actuatur primo secundum illum actum', dico quod quaelibet potentia apprehensiva, ut apprehensiva, est in potentia ad apprehendere 'primo' primitate perfectionis, licet non primitate in via generationis; et quandoque 'primo' primitate generationis, quando scilicet obiectum in se est praesens tali potentiae ut actu cognoscibile ab ea: tunc enim non oportet, ante actum, in ipso aliquid aliud fieri in quo ipsum sit praesens, sed primum quod fit ab eo est actus.- Quando autem obiectum non est natum esse in se praesens sub ratione actu cognoscibilis a tali potentia, tunc quaelibet potentia apprehensiva est in potentia ad apprehensionem et ad illud in quo cognoscibile erit praesens, et prius, ordine originis, ad habendum illam praesentiam quam ad habendum actum. Ita est in proposito. Sensibilia non sunt nata esse in se praesentia intellectui sub ratione actu intelligibilium, sed tantum in specie intelligibili possunt sic esse praesentia, et hoc quantum ad intellectionem abstractivam, de qua est sermo in proposito; et ideo potentia apprehensiva respectu talium est in potentia ad duplicem actum, et ab agente approximato prius, ordine originis, recipiet priorem actum quam posteriorem.

  12. Nec tamen intelligo ita istos actus esse ordinatos quod prior sit ratio receptiva respectu posterioris, sicut scilicet superficies est ratio recipiendi albedinem: tunc enim intellectus respectu nullius 'intelligibilis' recipere posset actum secundum (qui est intellectio), nisi prius haberet actum primum (ut speciem eiusdem obiecti); sed intelligo quod intellectus de se est ratio immediata recipiendi utrumque actum. Ipsi tamen inter se sunt ordinati quando obiectum non est natum esse praesens in se, quia tunc oportet prius naturaliter esse illum actum quo obiectum est praesens ut intelligibile, quam illum qui elicitur circa obiectum intelligibile ut praesens, - et hoc non salvatur nisi in specie intelligibili.

  13. Non etiam ponitur perfectio summa possibilis potentiae cognitivae, nisi ponatur eam posse conservare speciem intelligibilem praeter actum, et ita habere obiectum suum praesens, conservatum sine actu, quia hoc conceditur sensitivae, - et perfectio est in intellectiva cognitiva potentia quod non dependeat ab alio in cognitione sua, sed quod possit habere obiectum praesens sine dependentia ad aliam potentiam.

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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