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

  1. De secundo articulo dicicitur quod non est possibile loquendo de potentia absoluta Dei quod aliquis comprehensor fruatur essentia divina non fruendo persona. Quod probatur primo de visione, videlicet quod non sit possibile absolute aliquem intellectum videre essentiam divinam nisi videndo personam: Primo sic, quia cognitio confusa est cognitio imperfecta; visio illius essentiae non potest esse imperfecta; ergo cognitio visiva eius non potest esse confusa. Sed si esset tantum cognitio vel visio - de essentia et non de persona vel essentiae et non personae, esset visio confusa, quia esset alicuius communis ad personas et non illarum personarum, quod videtur inconveniens.

  2. Secundo sic: visio est exsistentis ut exsistens est et ut praesens est videnti secundum suam exsistentiam; et secundum hoc distinguitur visio ab intellectione abstractiva, quae potest esse non exsistentis, vel exsistentis non in quantum in se praesens est; et est in intellectu ista distinctio inter intellectionem intuitivam et abstractivam sicut in parte sensitiva est distinctio inter actum visus et actum phantasiae. Est ergo alia cognitio essentiae divinae intuitiva ab illa quae est cognitio abstractiva, quae visio est exsistentiae eius ut exsistens est et secundum exsistentiam eius praesens virtuti cognoscenti; sed essentia divina non exsistit nisi in persona; ergo non potest esse visio eius nisi in persona.

  3. Item, non potest aliquid cognosci cognitione intuitiva in quo sunt aliqua plura distincta ex natura rei nisi etiam omnia illa distincte videantur et perfecte. Exemplum: albedo non videtur distincte nisi videantur omnes partes quae sunt in basi pyramidis, quae partes distinguuntur ex natura rei. Sed personae sunt in essentia et distinguuntur ex natura rei; ergo non distincte videtur essentia nisi videantur personae.

  4. Ex his arguitur ad propositum quantum ad secundam distinctionem, scilicet personarum inter se, quia si non potest videri essentia nisi in persona - et non magis videtur in una persona quam in alia, quia aeque immediate videtur se habere ad quamlibet personam - ergo non potest videri nisi videatur in qualibet persona, et ita non videtur in una persona nisi videatur in alia.

  5. Arguitur etiam ultra quantum ad frui propositum, quia voluntas non potest magis abstrahere obiectum suum quam intellectus ostendere; igitur si intellectus non potest distincte ostendere essentiam sine persona vel personam sine persona, igitur nec voluntas poterit distincte frui.

  6. Et hoc etiam confirmatur sic, quia voluntas non potest habere actum distinctum ex parte obiecti nisi ponatur distinctio ex parte obiecti vel realis vel secundum rationem; sed si intellectus apprehendat indistincte essentiam et personam, non erit distinctio ex parte obiecti nec rei nec rationis; ergo voluntas non potest habere actum distinctum ex parte distinctionis in obiecto primo. Quod non sit distinctio realis ex parte obiecti, patet; quod non sit rationis, probatur, quia intellectus non distinctive comprehendit vel non distincte apprehendit hoc et illud; ergo non distinguit hoc et illud.

  7. Ex parte fruitionis arguitur sic: fruitio quietat fruentem; una persona non perfecte quietat fruitionem fruentis sine alia nec essentia sine persona, quia tunc potentia quietata in illa non posset ulterius quietari; nec in aliquo alio quietari potest, quia ultimate quietatum non est ulterius quietabile, et per consequens illa potentia non posset quietari in alia persona nec frui ea, quod est falsum.

  8. Item, si quietatur in ista persona sola, et patet quod potest frui alia, ergo vel fruitio alterius personae potest esse cum fruitione istius personae, vel erunt incompossibilia, ita quod una non erit cum alia; si primo modo, ergo duo actus eiusdem speciei erunt simul in eadem potentia quorum uterque aequatur capacitati illius potentiae, quod est impossibile; si secundo modo, ergo neuter actus erit fruitio, quia neuter actus poterit esse perpetuus.

  9. Quantum ad istum articulum dico quod de potentia Dei absoluta loquendo non videtur contradictio quin possibile sit ex parte intellectus et ex parte voluntatis quod utriusque actum terminet essentia et non persona vel una persona et non alia, puta quod intellectus videat essentiam et non personam vel unam personam et non aliam, et quod voluntas fruatur essentia et non persona vel una persona et non alia.

  10. Hoc persuadetur sic: aliquis actus habet primum obiectum a quo essentialiter dependet, et habet obiectum secundum a quo essentialiter non dependet sed tendit in illud virtute primi obiecti; licet igitur non possit manere ibidem actus idem nisi habeat habitudinem ad primum obiectum, potest tamen manere idem sine habitudine ad obiectum secundum, quia ab eo non dependet. Exemplum: idem est actus visionis essentiae divinae et aliarum rerum in essentia divina, sed essentia est primum obiectum, res visae sunt secundarium obiectum; non posset autem manere eadem visio nisi esset eiusdem essentiae, posset tamen manere absque hoc quod esset rerum visarum in ea. Sicut ergo Deus sine contradictione potest cooperari ad actum illum in quantum tendit in primum obiectum et non in quantum tendit in secundum, et tamen erit idem actus, ita sine contradictione potest cooperari ad visionem essentiae, quia essentia habet rationem primi obiecti, non cooperando eidem actui visionis vel fruitionis in quantum tendit in personam, et pari ratione in quantum tendit in unam personam et non in aliam.

  11. Per hoc ad argumenta contra istam viam. Cum primo dicitur de visione confusa, dico quod universale in creaturis dividitur in suis singularibus; hoc autem quod est 'dividi', est imperfectionis, et ita non competit ei quod est commune in Deo, immo essentia divina, quae communis est tribus personis, est de se haec. Ideo igitur est cognitio alicuius universalis abstracti a singularibus confusa et imperfecta, quia obiectum est confusum, divisum in illis quae in ipso confuse concipiuntur. Haec autem cognitio divinae essentiae est distincta, quia eius obiecti est quod est de se hoc, et tamen non oportet in illo distincte concepto personam distincte concipi vel cognosci, quia ipsa non est primus terminus fruitionis vel visionis, ut dictum est.

  12. Ad secundum, cum arguitur de essentia exsistente etc., dico quod necessarium est terminum visionis esse exsistens in quantum exsistens, non tamen oportet quod subsistentia, id est incommunicabilis exsistentia, sit de ratione termini visionis. Essentia autem divina est de se haec et actu exsistens licet non includat de sua ratione incommunicabilem subsistentiam, et ideo ipsa ut haec potest terminare visionem absque hoc quod videantur personae. Exemplum: album videtur intuitive in quantum exsistens et praesens visioni secundum exsistentiam suam; non oportet tamen album videri tamquam subsistens vel in quantum habet rationem suppositi, quia non habet rationem suppositi nec suppositum in quo est vel videtur. Ad formam igitur argumenti patet, quia licet non sit visio nisi exsistentis in quantum exsistens est, et non est exsistens nisi in persona, non tamen sequitur 'ergo est exsistentis in quantum est in persona', sed tantum debet inferri quod est subsistentis vel exsistentis in subsistente.

  13. Ad tertium dico quod prima propositio est falsa, nisi quando in illis distinctis ex natura rei ipsum primum visum distinguitur, sicut apparet in exemplo tuo de basi pyramidis, nam albedo et album visum distinguuntur in partes in quibus videntur, et ideo non distincte videtur album nisi istae partes in quibus distinguitur album visum distincte videantur. In proposito autem etsi personae divinae ex natura rei distinguantur, tamen essentia visa non distinguitur in eis, quia est de se haec; ideo potest distincte videri sine illis visis quae subsistunt in ea.

  14. Ad illam deductionem ulteriorem de voluntate etsi non oporteat respondere, quia antecedens est negandum, tamen quia consequentia non videtur necessaria, potest responderi. Cum dicitur quod 'voluntas non plus abstrahit quam intellectus ostendit', dico quod intellectus potest ostendere aliquod obiectum primum voluntati et in isto obiecto primo aliquod per se obiectum et non primum (et vocatur hic 'obiectum primum' totum illud ad quod terminatur actus potentiae et 'obiectum per se' quod includitur per se in obiecto terminante primo). Utraque autem ratio ostensa ibi sufficit ad hoc quod voluntas habeat actum suum circa illud; non enim oportet quod voluntas velit totum primum obiectum ostensum, sed potest velle primum ostensum et potest nolle illud quod ostenditur in illo primo ostenso. Exemplum ponatur tale: in episcopatu ostenditur sacerdotium; talis ostensio sufficit ad hoc quod voluntas habeat velle vel nolle circa sacerdotium, ita quod ex tali ostensione possit habere velle circa episcopatum et non circa sacerdotium; et tamen non est nisi una ostensio, et unius obiecti primi, in quo tamen includitur aliquid ut per se obiectum. Dico quod voluntas non abstrahit universale a singulari, sed voluntati ostenduntur plura volita per intellectum qui est aliquorum plurium inclusorum in primo obiecto, quorum utrumque ut sic ostensum potest voluntas velle.

  15. Ad confirmationem, cum dicitur 'obiectum aut differt re aut ratione', dico quod differt ratione. Et cum improbatur quod non, 'quia intellectus non distincte concipit hoc ab illo', dico quod non oportet ad distinctionem rationis quod intellectus habeat illa sicut obiecta distincta, sed sufficit quod in primo obiecto concipiat illa.

  16. Ad aliud de quietatione dico quod Pater quietatur in essentia sua ut est in se; nec sequitur 'ergo non potest quietari in ea ut in Filio vel in Spiritu Sancto', immo quietatur in essentia ut communicata est eis, et hoc eadem quietatione qua quietatur in essentia ut in se. Quod enim quietatur primo in aliquo obiecto, quietatur in illo in quocumque est secundum illum modum; ita hic, si beatus prius fruatur essentia quam persona, non quietatur ulteriori quietatione quam prius quietabatur sed eadem quietatione, in quantum obiectum quietans terminat ut in aliquo et prius non terminavit ut in illo.

  17. Per hoc ad quintum argumentum dico quod non erunt ibi duo actus, quia quicumque actus est ibi fruitionis vel visionis, est obiecti primi sub una formali ratione; sed ille unus actus potest esse omnium vel obiecti per se virtute primi obiecti, vel potest esse tantum ipsius obiecti primi: nec igitur erunt duo actus eiusdem speciei simul, nec successive.

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

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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