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

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

  1. Ad quaestionem respondeo quod intellectio actualis est aliquid in nobis non perpetuum sed habens 'esse' post 'non esse', sicut experimur. Istius oportet ponere aliquam causam activam, et aliquo modo in nobis, alioquin non esset in potestate nostra intelligere eum vellemus, quod est contra Philosophum II De anima.

  2. Apparet autem hic quod oportet concurrere animam et obiectum praesens, et hoc in specie intelligibili, sicut dictum est in praecedenti quaestione, quia alio modo non est praesens ut actu intelligibile, loquendo de sensibili et obiecto materiali.

  3. Dico tunc quod istius intellectionis non est tota causa activa obiectum, nec in se nec in sua specie, sicut apparet per primam rationem contra secundam opinionem, - et etiam quia tunc non posset salvari imago in mente ut mens est, quia nihil ipsius mentis haberet rationem parentis.

  4. Nec tota causa intellectionis est anima intellectiva, vel aliquid eius formaliter, - propter rationem factam de quattuor causis contra primam opinionem; quae ratio explicat rationem Philosophi in II De anima, de qua tangitur arguendo ad principale ad primam partem. Adduntur ad hoc et aliae probabilitates:

  5. Prima, quia tunc actus non esset similitudo obiecti, - secunda, quia nec distingueretur essentialiter propter distinctionem obiecti, quia essentialis distinctio non est ab eo quod non est causa.

  6. Tertio, quia nec esset simpliciter perfectior intellectio perfectioris intelligibilis, posito aequali conatu ex parte intellectus hinc inde, quod non est verum, quia posita causa totali efficacius operante sequitur perfectior actio, - et ita si anima esset causa totalis, ubicumque ipsa ex parte sui perfectius ageret et ex maiore conatu, perfectiorem intellectionem produceret: et ita 'intellectio Dei' non esset perfectior quam 'intellectio muscae', quod est contra Philosophum - X Ethicorum - ponentem felicitatem in speculatione obiecti perfectissimi.

  7. Videtur etiam, quarto, quod tunc esset infinita activitas in intellectu, in quantum intellectus est activus respectu omnium intellectionum, quia ad unam intellectionem requiritur aliqua perfectio in causa illius intellectionis, et ad aliam intellectionem alterius rationis requiritur tanta perfectio, vel maior, quia continens virtualiter duas perfectiones causarum propriarum, hic et ibi; ergo habens hanc et illam, erit perfectius quam habens illam tantum, et ita habens infinitas tales ut totalis causa, est infinitum perfectione.

  8. Similiter, quinto, non videretur quomodo aliqua tota scientia contineretur virtualiter in obiecto, si sola anima intellectiva haberet causalitatem respectu actus et habitus. - Istarum quinque probabilitatum, tertia et quarta possunt ponderari.

  9. Ex istis solvitur quaestio sic: si ergo nec anima sola nec obiectum solum sit causa totalis intellectionis actualis - et illa sola videntur requiri ad intellectionem - sequitur quod ista duo sunt una causa integra respectu notitiae genitae. Et ista est sententia Augustini IX De Trinitate cap. ultimo, sicut allegatum fuit arguendo contra primam opinionem (((Liquido tenendum)) etc.).

  10. Qualiter autem hoc sit intelligendum, distinguo de pluribus causis concurrentibus ad eundem effectum.

  11. Quaedam enim ex aequo concurrunt, sicut duo trahentes aliquod idem corpus. Quaedam non ex aequo, sed habentes ordinem essentialem, et hoc dupliciter: vel sic quod superior moveat inferiorem, ita quod inferior non agit nisi quia mota ex superiore, et quandoque causa talis inferior habet a superiore virtutem illam seu formam qua movet, quandoque non, sed formam ab alio, et a causa superiore solam motionem actualem, ad producendum effectum; quandoque autem superior non movet inferiorem, nec dat ei virtutem qua movet, sed superior de se habet virtutem perfectiorem agendi, et inferior habet virtutem imperfectiorem agendi. Exemplum primi membri huius divisionis: de potentia motiva quae est in manu, et baculo et pila; exemplum secundi: Si mater ponatur habere virtutem activam in generatione prolis, illa et potentia activa patris concurrunt ut duae causae partiales, ordinatae quidem, quia altera perfectior reliqua; non tamen imperfectior recipit suam causalitatem a causa perfectiore, nec tota illa causalitas est eminenter in causa perfectiore, sed aliquid addit causa imperfectior, in tantum quod effectus potest esse perfectior a causa perfectiore et imperfectiore quam a sola perfectiore.

  12. Ad propositum. Obiectum intelligibile - praesens in se vel in specie intelligibili - et pars intellectiva non concurrunt ut 'causae ex aequo' ad intellectionem, quia tunc alterum haberet causalitatem talem imperfectam, et reliquum suppleret eam; et si alterum esset perfectum, posset habere in se uno totam causalitatem amborum, sicut si virtus motiva unius esset perfecta, suppleret virtutem alterius: et tunc species esset quasi quidam gradus intellectivitatis, supplens gradum intellectivitatis deficientem intellectui, et tunc si fieret perfectior intellectus secundum gradum talem, posset sine specie et sine obiecto habere actum intelligendi, quod falsum est.

  13. Concurrunt ergo ista duo ut habentia ordinem essentialem. Non tamen primo modo, quia nec intellectus dat obiecto vel speciei rationem suae causalitatis - non enim obiectum natum est, in se vel in specie sui, facere intellectionem per aliquid quod recipit ab intellectu, sed ex natura sua, - nec intellectus recipit suam causalitatem ab obiecto vel specie obiecti, sicut probatum est prima ratione contra secundam opinionem. Sunt ergo causae essentialiter ordinatae, et ultimo modo, videlicet quod una est simpliciter perfectior altera, ita tamen quod utraque in sua propria causalitate est perfecta, non dependens ab alia.

  14. Si arguitur contra istud quod 'in causis talibus essentialiter ordinatis neutra est perfectio alterius, igitur species intelligibilis non erit forma ipsius intellectus', - similiter, ad idem, 'si sit perfectio intellectus, et totum hoc sit ratio agendi, ergo una operatio (utpote intellectio) non habebit unam rationem formalem agendi', et similiter, 'ab ente per accidens (quale est hoc totum, intellectus habens speciem) erit una per se operatio, quod est inconveniens, quia quidquid non est per se unum ens, non est ratio formalis agendi', - responsio:

  15. Ad primum: accidit speciei in quantum est causa partialis respectu actus intelligendi, concurrens cum intellectu ut alia causa partiali, quod ipsa perficiat intellectum, quia etsi perficiat eum, non tamen dat intellectui aliquam activitatem, pertinentem ad causalitatem intellectus. Exemplum: potentia motiva in manu potest uti cultello in quantum acutus est, ad dividendum aliquod corpus. Ista acuties si esset in manu ut in subiecto, posset manus uti ea ad eandem operationem, et tamen accideret manui - in quantum est in ea potentia motiva - quod acuties in ea esset, et e converso, quia acuties nullam perfectionem daret manui pertinentem ad potentiam motivam. Quod apparet, quia aeque perfecta est potentia motiva sine tali acutie, - et eodem modo utitur ea quando est in alio, coniuncto manui (ut cultello), sicut uteretur ea si esset in manu. Ita in proposito. Si species posset esse inexsistens intellectui absque inhaerentia per modum formae, si illo modo inexsistens esset vel posset esse sufficienter coniuncta intellectui, possent istae duae causae partiales - intellectus et species - coniunctae sibi invicem, in eandem operationem in quam modo possunt quando species informat intellectum. Quod etiam apparet ponendoa aliquod intelligibile praesens sine specie: illud enim obiectum est causa partialis, et non informat intellectum, qui est altera causa partialis; sed istae duae causae partiales approximatae, absque informatione alterius ab altera, per solam approximationem debitam causant unum effectum communem.

  16. Hoc secundum si ponitur, non sine causa forte impossibile est 'accidens' quod est principium immanentis et non transeuntis esse sufficienter coniunctum passo nisi sit in illo subiective, quare dicitur 'accidens'. Nonne essentia divina in intellectu beati est principium intuitionis, quae non immanet essentiae illi nec alicui cuius ipsa sit forma? Similiter, caritas in patria est principium intuitionis sui, et tamen non est in intellectu intuente. Ergo intellectio est actio immanens, accipiendo actionem pro operatione.

  17. Contra: sic non est aliqua actio 'immanens' et aliqua 'transiens'. Respondeo tunc et dico quod est divisio vocis in significata; aliter: actio de genere actionis immanet alteri causae, scilicet intellectui, et respectu eius est immanens, - non autem respectu reliquae, scilicet obiecti.

  18. Per idem patet ad secundum, quia in quocumque uno ordine causae, oportet ponere respectu unius effectus unam per se causam, et unam rationem per se causandi (ita intellectus in suo ordine causalitatis est unus, et habet unam rationem formalem causandi, - et species vel obiectum in suo ordine causandi est una causa specialis, et habet unam rationem causandi), sed non oportet totalem causam prout complectitur omnes causas partiales, habere unam rationem causandi nisi unitate ordinis; quod si cum unitate ordinis concurrat 'unitas per accidens', hoc accidit, sed unitas ordinis est 'per se'. Exemplum: sol in suo ordine causandi habet unam rationem causandi respectu prolis, et pater in suo ordine causandi est una causa unius rationis, sed causa totalis quae complectitur solem et patrem, non habet aliquam unam rationem formalem causandi - sicut non est una causa - nisi unitate ordinis; et si contingat causas sic ordinatas praeter unitatem ordinis habere 'unitatem per accidens', in quantum scilicet una accidit alteri, hoc non competit eis 'per se in quantum causae ordinatae.

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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