Gilbert of Poitiers c. 1085 – 1154
Gilbert of Poitiers (c. 1085 – 1154) was a French philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Medieval Philosophy, Scholasticism, and Christian Philosophy.
Gilbert of Poitiers, also known as Gilbert de la Porree, was a French scholastic theologian and bishop of Poitiers and one of the most acute minds of the twelfth-century renaissance. After studies at Chartres and Laon, he taught at the schools of Chartres and Paris before his elevation to the episcopate. His commentaries on the theological treatises of Boethius developed an original distinction between the form by which a thing is what it is and the thing itself, which set him apart from his Augustinian contemporaries. His teaching on the Trinity was examined at the Council of Reims in 1148 in the presence of Bernard of Clairvaux, but he was not condemned, and his metaphysics shaped later scholastic debate.
Key facts
- Nationality
- French
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Medieval Philosophy, Scholasticism, Christian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers:
“What a thing is, by which it is what it is, is its form.”
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Attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers:
“In God essence and existence are one; in creatures they differ.”
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Attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers:
“Theology must use logic, but logic must respect what theology teaches.”
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Attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers:
“The Trinity is a unique mystery; ordinary categories must yield.”
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Attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers:
“What is signified about God is signified analogically, never univocally.”
Gilbert of Poitiers by topic
Frequently asked about Gilbert of Poitiers
- When did Gilbert of Poitiers live?
- Gilbert of Poitiers was born in c. 1085 and died in 1154.
- Where was Gilbert of Poitiers from?
- Gilbert of Poitiers was a French philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Gilbert of Poitiers associated with?
- Gilbert of Poitiers was associated with Medieval Philosophy, Scholasticism, and Christian Philosophy.
- What was Gilbert of Poitiers known for?
- Gilbert of Poitiers, also known as Gilbert de la Porree, was a French scholastic theologian and bishop of Poitiers and one of the most acute minds of the twelfth-century renaissance.
- How many quotes are attributed to Gilbert of Poitiers?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Gilbert of Poitiers in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.