José Carlos Estêvão

Academic Background

• 2009 Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo
  Title: Pedro Abelardo: Ethics or Know thyself
• 2002 Post-doctorate at the École Normale Supérieure,. Paris, France
• 1996 PhD in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo
  Title: On Freedom in William of Ockham
• 1990 Master’s degree in Philosophy at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo
  Title: Abelard’s Ethics and the Individual
• 1975 Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy at the University of São Paulo

Current Research

On the medieval presence of Augustine

Abstract

The medieval reception of Aristotle is strongly influenced by the reading of Augustine’s work. At the same time, this influence changes the way that work is understood. It seems to create a “medieval Augustine.” That is, a certain way of keeping present the problematic found in Augustine and often the letter of his work, although for reasons to be discussed it is not common to comment on his work textually. It is likely that Anselm of Canterbury cannot be understood without direct reference to Augustine. The influence becomes more elliptical, though it is expressed, in Peter Abelard (as in his “Theology summi boni” and “Ethics”). This influence is notoriously claimed by such authors as Henry of Gand, John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham. There are also, in the thirteenth century, commentators of Augustine, such as the Dominican Nicolau Trevet. We seek to sketch the different figures of this appropriation and indicate the intensity of the resulting conceptual impact. The work includes a research internship (FAPESP, 2017/21858-4) linked to the seminar led by Christophe Grellard (L’ignorance invincible et le problème de l'hétérodoxie, De Jean Gerson to Jean Nider) at the École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris.

Members

Coordinator: Prof. José Carlos Estêvão / Member: Gustavo Barreto Vilhena de Paiva
Funding: Foundation for Support of Research in the State of São Paulo (FAPESP).

José Carlos Estêvão