title: The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)
author: A. S. Mcgrade
description: "This book must be considered a very helpful companion, resulting from the contributors' hard work. The high level of the presentation of individual medieval philosophers--and of medieval thought in general--shows that each contributor has mastered their subject and put substantial work into the book. I believe that this volume has provided the opportunity to show the brilliance of that work, which sometimes remains anonymous, without compensation or social acknowledgment." <br /><b>-Francisco Bertelloni, The Medieval Review</b><br /><br /><br />"Given its cast of contributors, The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Philosophy ought to be quite a good book, and it is: it succeeds in being both balanced and substantive." <br /><b>-Mary Sirridge, Louisiana State University</b><br /><br /><br />"Seldom has a scholar had a more productive retirement[...]McGrade has assembled for his volume an array of authorities from both sides of the Atlantic and issued his assignment according to a combination of historical and thematic approaches." <br /><b>-R. James Long, Fairfield University, The Thomist</b><br />
zlib_text: Cambridge Companions Online © Cambridge University Press, 2006
  a. s. m Cgrade
  Introduction
  The study of medieval philosophy is flourishing, as witness the
  selective bibliography for this book. And yet, from some philo-
  sophical viewpoints – analytic, continental, or science-oriented – the
  subject of this volume can still seem remote. Where ontology recapit-
  ulates philology, or Dasein replaces being and essence, or naturalism
  needs no arguing, the immersion of medieval thinkers in questions
  about eternity, God, and the immateriality of intellect can seem in-
  comprehensible, if occasionally intriguing. This Companion seeks to
  enhance fascination while diminishing incomprehension. The con-
  tributors hope to bring readers into medieval discussions as directly
  as possible, enabling them to appreciate for themselves the philo-
  sophical motives instigating these discussions and the boldness, sub-
  tlety, and analytic rigor with which they were carried on. The aim
  is to exhibit the variety and