Gerhard Krieger

Utopisches Denken im Mittelalter

Abstract Against the background of the concept of utopia which Thomas More relates to the term ‘Utopia’, the meaning of utopian thinking in the Middle Ages is examined. On the one hand this is achieved by the comparison of the relevant philosophical and historical assessments from the perspective of medieval studies and others. On the other hand utopian thinking is dealt with in regard to Christine de Pizan’s ‘Livre de la Cité des Dames’. Insofar the concept of utopia as emphasized by Thomas More functions methodically as an example for utopian thinking by which it is appraised in how far medieval thinking in general and the thinking of the mentioned author in particular can be referred to as utopian thinking. As a result the question arises if utopian thinking in the Middle Ages is actually of functional nature; moreover the difference of utopian thinking of Christine de Pizan and Thomas More concerns the difference between the understanding of reason as a human possibility and of reason in general.

Askese im Mittelalter. Beiträge zu ihrer Praxis, Deutung und Wirkungsgeschichte Zur Einführung

Das Thema der Askese wird im mediävistischen Zusammenhang im Wesentlichen in historischer Hinsicht in den Blick genommen. Darüber hinaus hat das Thema insbesondere aufgrund seiner Betrachtung bei Max Weber Aufmerksamkeit gefunden. Insofern diese Überlegungen vor allem in Bezug auf die Frage des historischen Fortgangs im Verständnis der Askese über das Mittelalter hinaus aufgegriffen werden, sollen jene Überlegungen im Rahmen der Darlegungen zu dieser Frage angesprochen werden.

Askese und Wissenschaft – Thomas von Aquin und Max Weber im Vergleich

Abstract Asceticism and science are connected in Weber’s thought insofar as “asceticism” includes an attitude of job-related professionalization and this attitude in turn signifies capitalistic as well as scientific activity. In this way, asceticism has also an “innerworldly” nature, in contrast to the way it is depicted in Christianity or in other religions. In this (religious) sense, asceticism serves as a means to otherworldly completion, while its “innerworldly” meaning is entirely interior to itself. Insofar as for Weber, asceticism, independent from any religious sense, signifies scientific as well as economic activity, it is a “practical-rational” conduct of life in the sense of competence, enhancement, and perfection. This is the methodological basis for a reconsideration of Thomas Aquinas’ ideas on asceticism. Thomas, like Weber, uncouples the relation of otherworldly completion and asceticism and links this decoupling to the priority of perfection of asceticism. However Thomas, contrary to Weber, associates asceticism with the conditions innate to a particular way of life; in this sense, asceticism can determine human existence itself, insofar as it is realized both “outside the world in monastic communities” and also “within this world and for it”. With reference to the relation of science and asceticism, for Thomas as well as for Weber scientific activity is “ascetic” in the sense that it strives for perfection. However, in contrast to Weber, Thomas maintains that it is impossible for a subject to bring his scientific activity to a complete conclusion.

Metaphysik und konstruierende Vernunft: Zum Verhältnis von Spätscholastik und Cartesischem cogito

This essay investigates the extent to which the notion of the subject provides access to medieval metaphysics. Historically, this question involves the relation of nominalism to the Cartesian cogito, with regard to which it is possible to speak of a certain continuity in view of the paradigmatically explanatory function of the notion of the I. Against this background, it is maintained that the notion of the subject provides access to medieval metaphysics insofar as the notion of the I belongs to the notion of the subject. Medieval metaphysics and constructive reason can be mediated with one another to the extent that reason in its constructive significance is connected with the notion of the I.