Bernard of Chartres c. 1080 – c. 1130
Bernard of Chartres (c. 1080 – c. 1130) was a French philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Medieval Philosophy, Platonism, and Christian Philosophy.
Bernard of Chartres was a French Latin Platonist of the early twelfth century, master and chancellor of the cathedral school of Chartres, and one of the most influential teachers of the so-called twelfth-century Renaissance. None of his own writings have survived in any complete form, but his teaching is preserved in the Metalogicon of his pupil John of Salisbury, who attributes to Bernard the famous image of his contemporaries as dwarfs perched on the shoulders of giants who can see further than the ancients precisely because they stand on their accumulated learning. His emphasis on close reading of the classical texts and his theological-philosophical synthesis shaped the Chartrian tradition of natural philosophy.
Key facts
- Nationality
- French
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Medieval Philosophy, Platonism, Christian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Bernard of Chartres:
“We are dwarfs perched on the shoulders of giants; we see more, and farther, but only because they have raised us up.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Chartres:
“The classical texts are our common inheritance; we read them so that we may not be impoverished.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Chartres:
“What the ancients have shown us with care, we should not despise from haste.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Chartres:
“The cathedral school is a workshop, not a stage; the work is done, not displayed.”
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Attributed to Bernard of Chartres:
“He who has not first read with patience cannot teach with profit.”
Frequently asked about Bernard of Chartres
- When did Bernard of Chartres live?
- Bernard of Chartres was born in c. 1080 and died in c. 1130.
- Where was Bernard of Chartres from?
- Bernard of Chartres was a French philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Bernard of Chartres associated with?
- Bernard of Chartres was associated with Medieval Philosophy, Platonism, and Christian Philosophy.
- What was Bernard of Chartres known for?
- Bernard of Chartres was a French Latin Platonist of the early twelfth century, master and chancellor of the cathedral school of Chartres, and one of the most influential teachers of the so-called twelfth-century Renaissance.
- How many quotes are attributed to Bernard of Chartres?
- There are 8 attributed quotations from Bernard of Chartres in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.