<i>Intellectuals in the Middle Ages</i> (review)
John O. Ward
Reviews 151 assessing the degree to which Aristotelianism discredited dream revelation is that writers who do not take dreams seriously rarely bother mention them. Pursuing his theme of ambivalence, Kruger examines Walafrid Strabo's Visio Wettini and Nicolas Oresme's Tractatus de commensurabilitate vel incommensurabilitate motuum cell as examples vision form in fiction philosophy, pausing on way reflect partial truth linked dreams, mirrors, andfictionin medieval mind. The book concludes with autobiographical Guibert Nogent Hermann Cologne. A s a history male intellectual tradition work ignores questions social context. Hildegard Bingen's Causae et curae briefly discussed an example moral dualism but her use physiological theories dealt with. Julian Norwich Margery Kempe are mentioned passing show then conformity Augustinian tradition. Kruger's scholarship impressive choice occasionally refreshing. If thesis continuous ambivalence lacks nuance it has virtue staying true spirit subject tracing important thought. L. Sharon Davidson Department Economic History University Sydney Le Goff, Jacques, Intellectuals Middle Ages, trans. Teresa L Fagan, Cambridge Mass. Oxford, Blackwell, 1993; paper; pp. xxix, 194; 45 plates; R.R.P. U S $ ? [distributed Australia by Allen & Unwin]. This slapdash which, despite reputation its author, did need be translated into English. original was published 1957 now very dated. woolly, opinionated introduction translation, raises more than answers, cannot hide shortcomings whose author eschewed hard, critical labour necessary for topic. Any 'definition' 'intellectual' excludes all Carolingian well others such Dante (p. 2, although he gets, unaccountably, illustration p. 146 [as does Jan Hus!] bibliography 185), or Villon xviii, whole 153 devoted poetry), interests including those vocation professor scholar, is, university professionals, includes goliards ('those escapees from established structures', 26) 152 Abelard (who 'was goliard'!) Heloise Bernard Chartres foremost professor', 58) Jean M e u n (continuator Romance Rosel) Meister Eckhardt announces at end Ages 'profoundly anti-inteUectual' 158) humanist cause disappear, forfeits any claim serious consideration. fact, no substitute Haskins' 1927 potboiler Renaissance twelfth century. Use latter would spare us translationesc 'comparatist perspective', oblique references Foucault other French sociology ('organic', 'critical', 'marginal' intellectuals, none terms explained), 'wonderful' this scholar. w want litde origins universities, subjects, teachers, techniques, tools, we can always fall back Anders Ptitz, world learning (trans., 1981). Goff book, degenerates potted methods episodes. Regionalism, nationalism, politicizing later university, were, seems, inimical 'medieval urban intellectual', were certain trends philosophical peters out well-worn territory late scholasticism versus humanism. All pretensions towards defence odd statement 'milieu' intellectuals 'had never had better awareness itself Ages' 1) abandoned. Despite Martines (Power imagination: city-states Italy [1979], 206) told aristocrat and, anticipating Jardine Grafton (From humanism humanities, 1986), claims scholar worked open market-place, whereas the...
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