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
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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'.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.