Jean Buridan c. 1300 – c. 1361
Jean Buridan (c. 1300 – c. 1361) was a French philosopher of the Medieval era, associated with Scholasticism, Medieval Philosophy, and Christian Philosophy.
Jean Buridan was a French priest and one of the most important philosophers of the late Middle Ages, who spent his entire career in the secular arts faculty at Paris rather than in the higher faculty of theology. He produced extensive commentaries on Aristotle in logic, natural philosophy, ethics, and politics, and developed the theory of impetus that anticipated early modern accounts of inertia. His treatment of the freedom of the will gave rise to the celebrated thought experiment of the ass between two equal bales of hay. He was instrumental in the rise of nominalism in fourteenth-century Paris.
Key facts
- Nationality
- French
- Era
- Medieval
- Movements
- Scholasticism, Medieval Philosophy, Christian Philosophy
Selected quotes
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Attributed to Jean Buridan:
“Should two courses be judged equal, then the will cannot break the deadlock.”
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Attributed to Jean Buridan:
“The will is determined by the practical intellect.”
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Attributed to Jean Buridan:
“A projectile continues to move because of the impetus impressed in it by the mover.”
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Attributed to Jean Buridan:
“Logic is the art of distinguishing the true from the false.”
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Attributed to Jean Buridan:
“Natural philosophy must follow what reason and experience together support.”
Frequently asked about Jean Buridan
- When did Jean Buridan live?
- Jean Buridan was born in c. 1300 and died in c. 1361.
- Where was Jean Buridan from?
- Jean Buridan was a French philosopher of the Medieval era.
- What philosophical movements is Jean Buridan associated with?
- Jean Buridan was associated with Scholasticism, Medieval Philosophy, and Christian Philosophy.
- What was Jean Buridan known for?
- Jean Buridan was a French priest and one of the most important philosophers of the late Middle Ages, who spent his entire career in the secular arts faculty at Paris rather than in the higher faculty of theology.
- How many quotes are attributed to Jean Buridan?
- There are 5 attributed quotations from Jean Buridan in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.