Eternity of the World

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Scholastic Quaestiones and Discussions on the Eternity of the World and Eternal Creation

Scholastics regularly treated the question of the world’s eternity and its conflict with Creation. Two philosophical theories figured in this discussion: Aristotle’s theory of the Eternity of the World as propounded in his Physics based on natural philosophy principles; and the separate theory of Eternal Creation (creatio ab aeterno), that the world exists eternally because God creates it eternally. The two theories were often conflated or treated together in scholastic discussion. Their conflict with Christianity was addressed frequently in both theological and philosophical works. Treatments most commonly take the form of quaestiones in commentaries on Peter Lombard’s Sentences and on Aristotle’s Physics; they also appear in quodlibetal quaestiones and treatises such as those by Thomas Aquinas and Boethius of Dacia. Many of them have been edited. Below are examples from the 13th and early 14th centuries.

 

Anon.

Physics commentary, ed. Albert Zimmermann, Ein Kommentar zur Physik des Aristoteles aus der Pariser Artistenfakultät um 1273 (Berlin, 1968).

See discussion at start of Book VIII, pp. 89-92.

 

Anon.

‘The Text of Two Sets of Anonymous Questions De Eternitate’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 22-31.

Series prima, Questiones tres de eternitate: primo quid sit; secondo utrum eternitas et Deus idem; tertio utrum eternitas, tempus et evum idem.

Series altera: utrum Deus fuerit causa rerum ab eterno; secondo utrum aliqua fuerunt creata ante mundum; tertio de exitu temporis.

 

Anon.

‘Questio si potuit Deus facere mundum ab eterno’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 32-34.

 

Anon.

‘Glossa in: In principio creavit Deus caelum et terram’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 35-44.

 

Anon.

‘Utrum Deus creaverit vel creare potuerit mundum vel aliquid creatum ab eterno’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 88-114.

 

Anon.

‘Utrum mundus potuerit produci ab aeterno’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 165-173.

 

Albertus Magnus

Commentarii in secundum librum Sententiarum, ed. Borgnet in Alberti Magni Opera Omnia (Paris, 1894), 27.

D. 1, B, Arts 10-11:

Art. 10. An Aristoteles sufficienter determinavit mundum esse aeternum sicut ei imponitur (pp. 24-30)

Art. 11. Quare imponatur Aristoteli quod dixerit duo fuisse ab aeterno, scilicet materiam primam et primum motorem? Et quare sunt illa tria quae imponuntur ei? (pp. 30-31)

Physica, VIII, in Alberti Magni Opera Omnia (Munster, 1993), 4.2.

Book VIII, Tract. 1, Chs 1, 4 and 11-14 (See also other chapters in this series):

Ch. 1. Qualiter Deus praecedit mundum (pp. 549-551)

Ch. 4. Qualiter declarant praeinductae rationes motum et mundum esse perpetuum et qualiter non (pp. 556-558)

Ch. 11. Dicta philosophorum de aeternitate mundi in summa et eas praecipue rationes, quae inducuntur pro opinione Aristotelis (pp. 568-572)

Ch. 12. Rationes sophisticas aliquorum obicientium contra aeternitatem motus (pp. 572-574)

Ch. 13. Digressio declarans probationem magis efficacem inter ceteras, quod mundus inceperit per creationem (pp. 574-577)

Ch. 14. Solutiones Peripateticorum, quibus videbatur probari aetemitas mundi (pp. 577-579)

De XV Problematibus, in Alberti Magni Opera Omnia (Munster, 1975), 17.1, pp. 31-44.

V. Quod mundus est aeternus (pp. 37-38)       

Summa theologiae, ed. Borgnet in Alberti Magni Opera Omnia (Paris, 1895), 32.

II, Tract I, Q. 4, Membrum II, Art. 5. (De erroribus philosophorum mundi aeternitatem ponentium):

Particula 1. Utrum mundus duratione semper fuerit, est, et erit (pp. 91-99)

Particula 3. De septem viis quas collegit Rabbi Moyses, quibus probatur mundi aeternitas (pp. 101-103)

Q. 1. Utrum probari possit quod mundus sit aeternus, eo modo quo probatur a quibusdam (pp. 103-106)

Q. 2. Utrum haec duo compossibilia sint secundum intellectum, scilicet quod mundus a Deo sit factus, et tamen duratione hoc modo sit aeternus, quia duratio ejus initium non habuerit (pp. 106-108)

 

Alexander of Hales

Glossa in quattuor libros Sententiarum Petri Lombardi, II, D. 1 (Quaracchi, 1952), pp. 1-15.

Quaestiones disputatae quae ad rerum universitatem pertinent, ed. Jacek Mateusz Wierzbicki (Grottaferrata, 2013).

Quaestio de duratione mundi seu de materia prima (pp. 159-243)

 

Andrea, Antonius

In quatuor Sententiarum libros (Venice, 1578). Available online: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_8MUbTUaCsHcC

II, D. 1.:

Q. 2. Utrum Deus possit aliquid de novo creare (ff 49r-v)

Q. 3. Utrum Deus potuerit producere aliquid a se ab aeterno. (ff. 49v-50r)

 

Arlotto of Prato

‘Utrum mundus sit eternus’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 115-131.

 

Bacon, Roger

Questiones supra libros octo Physicorum Aristotelis, ed. Ferdinand M. Delorme in Opera hactenus inedita Rogeri Baconi (Oxford, 1935), 13.

Utrum mundus sit eternus (pp. 370-377)

Utrum motus sit eternus a parte ante (pp. 377-379)

Utrum tempus sit eternum (pp. 379-382)

Utrum mundus habeat finem (pp. 382-383)

Utrum motus habeat finem (pp. 383-385)

Utrum tempus sit perpetuum a parte finis (pp. 385-386)

Utrum auctor consentiat quod motus sit eternus (pp. 386-388)

Utrum ipse dicat motum habere finem (pp. 388-390)

Utrum possibile est mundum fuisse ab eterno (pp. 390-392)

 

Boethius of Dacia

Quaestiones super libros Physicorum, ed. Géza Sajó in Corpus philosophorum Danicorum Medii Aevi (Copenhagen, 1974), 5.2.

I, Q. 30. Utrum materia prima sit facta de novo (pp. 186-188)

Quaestiones de generatione et corruptione, ed. Géza Sajó in Corpus philosophorum Danicorum Medii Aevi (Copenhagen, 1972), 5.1.

II, Q. 12. Utrum motus primus potest esse novus (pp. 126-127)

De aeternitate mundi, ed. Niels Jørgen Green-Pedersen, Opuscula: De aeternitate mundi. De summo bono. De somnis (Copenhagen, 1976), 6.2, pp. 335-366. Also edited by Géza Sajó, Boetii de Dacia tractatus De aeternitate mundi. Editio altera auctoritate quinque codicum manu scriptorum revisa et emendate (Berlin, 1964).

 

Bonaventure

Commentaria in quatuor libros Sententiarum, II, in S. Bonaventurae Opera Omnia (Quarrachi, 1885), 2.

D. 1, Part 1, Art. 1, Q. 2. Utrum mundus productus sit ab aeterno, an ex tempore (p. 19-24)

Breviloquium, in Opera Omnia, op. cit., 5.

II, 1, Ch. 1. De productione mundi totalis (p. 219)

 

Burley, Walter

Expositio in libros octo Physicorum Aristotelis (Venice, 1501).

Q. 2. Utrum aliquis effectus potuit esse ab eterno (ff. 230va- 231rb)

 

Duns Scotus, John

Sentences (lectura), II, D. 1: Lectura in librum secundum Sententiarum, in Ioannis Duns Scoti Opera Omnia (Vatican City, 1982), 18.

Q3. Utrum Deus potuit producere aliquid ab aeterno (pp. 29-51)

Sentences (ordinatio), II, D. 1: Ordinatio. Liber secundus a distinctione prima ad tertiam, in Ioannis Duns Scoti Opera Omnia (Vatican City, 1973), 7. English translation of the quaestio below: Richard N. Bosley and Martin M. Tweedale (eds), Basic Issues in Medieval Philosophy (Peterborough, Ontario, 1997), pp. 215-230.

Q. 3. Utrum sit possibile Deum producere aliquid ‘aliud a se’ sine principio (pp. 50-91)

Quaestiones disputatae de rerum principio, ed. R.P. Marianus Fernandez Garcia (Quaracchi, 1910).

Q. 3. Utrum Primum Principium absque sui mutatione possit novum effectum producere (pp. 35-54)

Q. 4. Utrum Deus de necessitate producat res (pp. 54-87)

Q. 5. Utrum Deus possit aliquid educere de nihilo (pp. 87-99)

 

Durand of St-Pourcain (Durandus de Sancto Porciano)

In Sententias theologicas Petri Lombardi Commentariorum libri quatuor (Lyon, 1560). Available online: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_pFmqwQK7ckQC

II, D. I:

Q. 2. Utrum creatura habens esse fixum et permanens potuerit ab aeterno produci (ff. 107v-109r)

Q. 3. Utrum entia successiva potuerint fuisse ab aeterno (109r-v)

 

Fishacre, Richard

De creatione vel inchoatione mundi, ed. R. James Long, ‘The First Oxford Debate on the Eternity of the World’, Recherches de Théologie et Philosophie Médiévales, 65 (1998), pp. 52-96.

 

Francis of Marchia (Franciscus de Marchia)

Sentences commentary, ed. Tiziana Suarez-Nani, William Duba, Emmanuel Babey and Girard J. Etzkorn, Reportatio IIA (Quaestiones in secundum librum Sententiarum) qq. 1-12 (Leuven, 2008).

Q. 1. Utrum creatio sit demonstrabilis de Deo (pp. 1-45)

Q. 2. Utrum creatio sit possibilis subiective et obiective (pp. 46-75)

Physics commentary, ed. Nazareno Mariani, Sententia et compilatio super libros Physicorum Aristotelis (Grottaferrata, 1998).

Book VIII:

Ch. 1. Aliquis motus est perpetuus. Pars prior. Probat Phylosophus motum non incepisse set fuisse eternum (pp. 387-395)

Ch. 2. Rationes per quas videtur motus non esse perpetuus et earum solutio (pp. 395-397)

 

Francis of Meyronnes (Francis of Mayrone; Franciscus de Mayronis)

In quatuor libros Sententiarum (Venice, 1520). Available online: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_QJ4loltkxYEC

II, D. 44:

<Art. 1.>

Q. 1. Utrum mundus sit eternus (f. 159v)

Q. 2. Utrum sit demonstrabile non fuisse mundum ab eterno (ff. 159v-160r)

Q. 3. Utrum alicui creature repugnat esse ex tempore (f. 160r)

Q. 4. Utrum alicui creature in singulari repugnat esse ab eterno (f. 160r)

<Art. 2.>

Q. 1. Utrum Deus potuerit producere mundum ab eterno (f. 160r)

Q. 2. Utrum mundo quantum est de se repugnet quod sit producibilis a Deo ab eterno (f. 160v)

Q. 3. Utrum repugnet omni creature esse ab eterno (f. 160v)

Q. 4. Utrum mundus possit perpetuari (f. 160v)

 

Geoffrey of Aspall

Physics quaestiones, ed. Silvia Donati and Cecilia Trifogli, with English translation by E. Jennifer Ashworth and Cecilia Trifogli, Geoffrey of Aspall Questions on Aristotle's Physics, Part 1 (Oxford, 2017).

Book VIII:

Q. 1. An sit motus primus (pp. 638-640)

Q. 4. An mundus sit generabilis et corruptibilis (pp. 644-652)

Q. 5. Utrum tempus sit aeternum (pp. 652-662)

 

Gerard of Abbeville

Quodlibet XIV, ed. Philippe Grand, ‘Le Quodlibet XIV de Gérard d'Abbeville’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 39 (1964), pp. 207-269.

Q. 10. Utrum sit ponere mundum eternum

Q. 11. Utrum sit ponere hominem primum

(The two quaestiones are treated together on pp. 265-269.)

 

Gilbert of Stratton

‘Utrum mundus potuerit semper fuisse’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 132-140. (This is a re-working of Aquinas, De aeternitate mundi.)

 

Giles of Rome (Aegidius Romanus)

Sentences (reportatio): Reportatio lecturae super libros I-IV Sententiarum, ed. Concetta Luna in Aegidii Romani Opera Omnia (Florence, 2003), 3.2.

II, D. 1, Q. 7. Utrum mundus potuit esse ab eterno (pp. 204-7)

Sentences (ordinatio): In secundum librum Sententiarum quaestiones, 2 vols (Venice, 1581), 1. Available online: https://ia601202.us.archive.org/0/items/bub_gb_fF5NKxt_Zr0C/bub_gb_fF5NKxt_Zr0C.pdf

D. I, Part I, Q. 4:

Art. 1. An mundus sit aeternus (pp. 42-54)

Art. 2. An demonstrari possit mundum incoepisse, et aeternum esse <non> potuisse. (pp. 54-
70)

In libros de physico auditu Aristotelis (Venice, 1502; reprinted Frankfurt, 1968).

VIII, Lectio III, dubitatio 1. Utrum hoc ratio simpliciter et absolute concludat motum eternum esse (f. 158r)

‘Quaestiones I-XX a frater Aegidio Romano Paduae disputatae in capitulo generali O.E.S.A. 1281’, ed. G. Bruni, Analecta Augustiniana, 17 (1939-1940), pp. 125-150.

Q. 2. Utrum Deus potuerit facere creaturam aliquam ab aeterno (pp. 128-129)

 

Godfrey of Fontaines

Les quatre premiers Quodlibets de Godefroid de Fontaines, ed. Maurice De Wulf and Auguste Pelzer (Louvain, 1904).

Quodl. II, Q. 3. Utrum mundus sive aliqua creatura potuit esse vel existere ab aeterno (pp. 68-80)

 

Grosseteste, Robert

Commentarius in VIII libros Physicorum Aristotelis, ed. Richard C. Dales (Boulder, CO, 1963).

VIII, from ‘Intencio igitur Aristotelis in prima conclusione sua in 8o Physicorum’ (pp. 145-155)

Tractatus de finitate motus et temporis, ed. Richard C. Dales, ‘Robert Grosseteste’s Treatise “De finitate motus et temporis”’, Traditio, 19 (1963), pp. 245-266.

Hexaæmeron, ed. Richard C. Dales and Servus Gieben (London, 1982). English translation of the text cited below: C.F.J. Martin (transl.), Robert Grosseteste. On the Six Days of Creation (Oxford, 1996), pp. 58-59.

Particula I, Ch. 8, para. 4. (pp. 60-61)

 

Henry of Ghent (Henricus de Gandavo)

Quodlibet I, ed. R. Macken in Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (Leuven–Leiden, 1979), 5. Quodl. I, Q. 7-8 is also published with analysis in R. Macken, ‘La temporalité radicale de la creature selon Henri de Gand’, Recherches de Théologie Ancienne et Médiévale, 37 (1971), pp. 211-272; and there is an English translation: Richard N. Bosley and Martin M. Tweedale (eds), Basic Issues in Medieval Philosophy (Peterborough, Ontario, 1997), pp.207-214.

Q. 7-8. ‘Utrum creatura potuit esse ab aeterno’, and ‘Utrum repugnet creaturae fuisse ab aeterno’ (pp. 27-46)

Quodlibet IX, ed. R. Macken in Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (Leuven, 1983), 13.

Q. 17. Utrum, suppositis fundamentis philosophi, sit necesse ponere quod semper fuerit homo, et homo ab homine, ex parte ante in infinitum (pp. 279-288)

Quaestiones Variae, ed. Girard J. Etzkorn in Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (Leuven, 2008), 38.

Q. 4. Utrum aliqua creatura creari possit ab aeterno (pp. 35-38)

Lectura ordinaria super sacram scripturam, ed. R. Macken in Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (Leuven–Leiden 1980), 36. (See pp. XIV-XXII re attribution question.)

Exposition on Genesis, Ch. 1, Day 1 (pp. 41-86)

 

Henry of Ghent (attributed to)

G. J. Etzkorn (ed.), Quaestiones variae Henrico de Gandavo adscriptae, in Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (Leuven – Leiden, 2008), 38.

Q. 4, Art. 1. ‘Utrum aliqua creatura creari possit ab aeterno’ (pp. 35-58)

 

Henry of Harclay

Ordinary questions XV-XXIX, ed. Mark G. Henninger, with English translation by Raymond Edwards and Mark G. Henninger (Oxford, 2008). Previous edition: Richard C. Dales (ed.), ‘Henricus de Harclay quaestio “Utrum mundus potuit fuisse ab aeterno”’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 50 (1983), pp. 223-55.

Q. 18. Utrum mundus potuit fuisse ab aeterno (pp. 732-773)

 

Jacob of Metz

John W. Peck and Chris Schabel, ‘James of Metz and the Dominican Tradition on the Eternity of the World, ca. 1300’, Medioevo, 40 (2015), pp. 265-330.

Utrum creatura potuerit esse ab aeterno (Appendix I, pp. 298-320)

Utrum mundus possit fuisse ab aeterno (Appendix II, pp 321-330)

 

James of Thérines

‘Utrum emanatio primarum creaturarum immediate a Deo potuerit esse ab eterno’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 149-164.

 

John of Jandun

Physics commentary, VIII, Q. 3, ‘Utrum motus sit eternus’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 180-96.

Super octo libros Aristotelis De physico auditu subtilissimae quaestiones (Venice, 1586). (Also contains the question above.) Available online: https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lgKgUV_kpRwC

Q. 4. An motor aeternus et intransmutabilis, qui per intellectum et voluntatem movet, motum novum immediate causare valeat nulla transmutatione praecedente (pp. 195-197)

 

John of Paris (Quidort)

Jean de Paris (Quidort) O.P. Commentaire sur les Sentences, Reportation, ed. Jean-Pierre Müller, 2 vols (Rome, 1961-64), 2.

II, D. 1:

Q. 4. Utrum creatura potuit esse ab aeterno, vel utrum sit necessarium quod habeat initium suae durationis et quod habeat necessario esse post non esse (pp. 24-28)

Q. 5. Utrum creatio sit possibilis (pp. 29-32)

 

John of Sterngassen

Johannes von Sterngassen OP und sein Sentenzenkommentar, ed. Walter Senner, 2 vols (Berlin, 1995), 2.

Quaestio fragment: Utrum mundus per creationem potuerit esse ab eterno a Deo (pp. 341-344)

II, D. 1, Q. 2, Art. 1. Utrum mundus sit eternus (pp. 219-234)

 

Kilwardby, Robert

Quaestiones in librum secundum Sententiarum, ed. Gerhard Leibold (Munich, 1992).

Q. 3. An possibile esset res creatas esse ab aeterno (pp. 11-16)

Q. 4. Quaeritur de ordine huius esse creaturae ad non ese suum quod praecessit, an sit ordo et qualis ordo (pp. 17-20)

 

Marston, Roger

Quodlibeta quatuor, ed. Girard Etzkorn and Ignatius Brady (Grottaferrata, 1994).

Quodl. I, Q. 1. Utrum Deus possit facere creaturam aliquam sibi coaeternam (pp. 3-9)

Quodl. II, Q. 20. Utrum aliqua potentia creaturae sit aeterna (pp. 223-225)

 

Matthew of Aquasparta

Quaestiones disputatae de productione rerum et de providentia, ed. G. Gàl (Quaracchi, 1956). Previously edited in E. Longpré, ‘Thomas d'York et Matthieu d'Aquasparta. Textes inédits sur le problème de la création’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 1 (1926), pp. 269-308, at 293-308.

Q. 9. Supposito secundum fidem quod mundus non sit aeternus, sed productus ex tempore, utrum potuit esse ab aeterno vel utrum Deus potuit ipsum ab aeterno producere (pp. 201-277)

 

Natalis, Hervaeus (Harvey of Nedellec)

Commentaria in quatuor libros Sententiarum (Paris, 1647; reprinted Ridgewood, NJ, 1966).

II, D. 1:

Q. 1. Utrum mundus potuerit esse ab aeterno (pp. 191-196)

Quolibeta Hervei: Subtilissima Herveti Natalis Britonis theologi acutissimi Quolibeta undecim (Venice, 1513; reprinted Ridgewood, NJ, 1966).

Quodl. 11:

Q. 10. Utrum ponere creaturam ab eterno esse quantum ad esse quiditativum, scillicet quod est in praedicamento sit ponere mundum fuisse ab aeterno (ff. 182rb-va)

De aeternitate mundi (ff. 24v-33r, following quodlibeta).

 

Olivi, Peter John

Quaestiones in secundum librum Sententiarum, ed. Bernhard Jansen, 3 vols (Quaracchi, 1922), 1.

Q. 4. An mundus factus fuerit ab aeterno (pp. 86-92)

Q. 5. An Deus potuerit mundum facere ab aeterno (pp. 92-129)

 

Pecham, John (John Peckham)

Quaestiones disputatae, ed. Girard J. Etzkorn, H. Spettmann and L. Oliger (Grottaferrata, 2002); reprinted from Ignatius Brady, ‘John Pecham and the Background of Aquinas's De aeternitate mundi’, in St. Thomas Aquinas (1274-1974) Commemorative Studies, 2 vols (Toronto, 1974), 2, pp. 141-178. English translation of the quaestiones below: Vincent G. Potter (transl.), John Pecham: Questions Concerning the Eternity of the World (New York, 1993).

Q. 1. Utrum aliquid factum sit vel fieri potuit de nihilo ordinaliter (pp. 563-577)

Q. 2. Utrum mundus potuit fieri ab aeterno (pp. 578-594)

‘Utrum mundus potuit ab aeterno creari’, in Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 69-87; previously published in Omar Argerami, ‘Iohannis Peckham Quaestio Disputata "De aeternitate mundi"’, Patristica et Mediaevalia, 1 (1975), pp. 82-100.

Quodlibet quatuor, Quodlibet IV (Romanum), ed. Ferdinand Delorme and Girard J. Etzkorn (Grottaferrata, 1989).

Q. 5. Utrum Deus praescivit primum instans possibile in quo mundus potuit creari (pp. 186-188)

 

Peter of Auvergne

‘Utrum Deus potuerit facere mundum esse ab eterno’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 141-148.

 

Peter of Tarentaise (Innocent V)

Innocentii Quinti Pontificis Maximi in IV libros Sententiarum commentaria (Toulouse, 1649-1652; reprinted Ridgewood, NJ, 1964). This quaestio appeared on its own in MS Tours, Bibliothèque Municipale 704 (MS no longer extant), and was edited: ‘Questio de eternitate mundi’, in Omar Argerami and Richard C. Dales, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 61-68; originally edited by Omar Argerami in ‘Circa Petri de Tarantasia Quaestionem “De Aeternitate Mundi”’, Patristica et Mediaevalia, 2 (1981), pp. 74-84.

II, D. I, Q. 2, Art. 3. An Deus ab aeterno produxerit vel producere potuerit mundum (pp. 10-12)

 

Rufus, Richard (of Cornwall)

In Physicam Aristotelis, ed. Rega Wood (Oxford, 2003).

VIII, Part I:

Q. 2. Utrum motus sit factus aut perpetuus (p. 216)

Q. 3. An Creator cum creavit habeat aliquam aliam dispositionem (pp. 216-217)

Q. 4. An non-esse mundi fuerit prius quam esse eius (pp. 217-218)

Q. 5. An peccet ratio Aristotelis dicens prius non esse sine tempore (pp. 218-219)

Q. 6. An tempus incipiat ad aliquod nunc (pp. 219-220)

Q. 7. An Aristoteles intendat negare tempus processisse ex non-esse (pp. 220-221)

Q. 8. Ex dictis Aristotelis possumus habere quod mundus incepit (pp. 221-223)

 

Richard of Middleton (Richardus de Mediavilla)

Super quattuor libros Sententiarum Petri Lombardi quaestiones subtilissimae, 4 vols (Brescia, 1591; reprinted Frankfurt, 1963), 2. Available online (1591 edition): https://archive.org/details/imgmar4754abMiscellaneaOpal

II, D. 1, Art. 3, Q. 4. Utrum possibile fuit machinam mundialem ab aeterno creari (pp. 16-19)

 

Rigaldus, Odo

‘De erroribus circa durationem rerum exeuntium’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 45-53.

 

Siger of Brabant

Tractatus de aeternitate mundi, ed. Bernardo Bazán in Siger de Brabant. Quaestiones in tertium De anima, De anima intelletiva, De aeternitate mundi (Louvain–Paris, 1972), pp.113-136. English translation: Cyril Vollert, Lottie H. Kendzierski and Paul M. Byrne(transl.), On the Eternity of the World (Milwaukee, WI, 1964).

Questio de creatione ex nihilo, ed. and Italian translation by Andrea Aiello (Florence, SISMEL – Edizioni del Galluzzo, 2015).

 

Siger of Brabant – Doubtful

Regarding the attributions, see the sources cited in Charles H. Lohr, ‘Medieval Latin Aristotle Commentaries. Authors: Robertus – Wilgelmus’, Traditio, 29 (1973), pp. 93-197, at 128; and see account in Armand A. Maurer, ‘The State of Historical Research in Siger of Brabant’, Speculum, 31 (1956), pp. 49-56, at 51-53.

J.J. Duin, La doctrine de la providence dans les écrits de Siger de Brabant. Textes et Étude (Louvain, 1954).

From Book VIII: Utrum mundus sit ab aeterno an de novo factus (pp. 67-71)

Philippe Delhaye (ed.), Siger de Brabant. Questions sur la Physique d'Aristote (Louvain, 1941) (Les Philosophes Belges, 15).

VIII, 6. Utrum motus sit aeternus (pp. 197-202)

 

Terreni, Guido

Quaestiones in libros Physicorum, VIII, Q. 3, ed. Ann Giletti, ‘Two Quaestiones on the Eternity of the World by Guido Terreni’, in Textes et Études du Moyen Âge, 78 (2015).

Utrum motus sit aeternus (pp. 283-292)

Quaestio in MS Biblioteca Vaticana Apostolica, Vat. lat. 901, ed. Ann Giletti, ‘Two Quaestiones on the Eternity of the World by Guido Terreni’, in Textes et Études du Moyen Âge, 78 (2015).

Utrum mundus potuerit creari ab aeterno (pp. 292-305)

 

Thomas Aquinas

Many works by Aquinas have been translated into English and are available online: https://dhspriory.org/thomas/

Sentences commentary, II, D. 1, Q. 1, Art. 5, ed. Pierre Mandonnet, S. Thomae Aquinatis Scriptum super libros Sententiarum, 4 vols (Paris, 1929), 2, pp. 27-41; and Commentum in quatuor libros Sententiarum, in Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Opera Omnia (Parma, 1856), 6, pp. 390-395. Available online in text form (1856 edition): http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/snp2001.html

Utrum mundus sit aeternus

Summa contra gentiles, in Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Opera Omnia (Rome, 1918), 13. Available online: in pdf http://archive.org/stream/operaomniaiussui13thom#page/n7/mode/2up; and in text form http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/scg2006.html

II, Chs 31-38 (pp. 342-356):

Ch. 31. Quod non est necessarium creaturas semper fuisse (pp. 342-343)

Ch. 32. Rationes volentium probare aeternitatem mundi ex parte Dei acceptae (pp. 344-345)

Ch. 33. Rationes volentium probare aeternitatem mundi sumptae ex parte creaturarum (pp. 346-347)

Ch. 34. Rationes ad probandum aeternitatem mundi ex parte factionis (pp. 347-348)

Ch. 35. Solutio rationum supra positarum. Et primo earum quae sumebantur ex parte Dei (pp. 348-349)

Ch. 36. Solutio rationum quae sumuntur ex parte rerum factarum (pp. 351-352)

Ch. 37. Solutio rationum quae sumebantur ex parte factionis rerum (pp. 353-354)

Ch. 38. Rationes quibus quidam conantur ostendere mundum non esse aeternum (pp. 355-356)

Compendium theologiae, in Sancti Thomae de Aquino Opera Omnia (Rome, 1979), 42. Available online: in pdf (1979 edition) https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9494h.r; and in text form (1954 edition) http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/ott101.html

I, Chs 98 and 99 (pp. 116-118):

Ch. 98. Ratio probans motum ab eterno fuisse, et solution eius (p. 116)

Ch. 99. Rationes ostendentes quod est necessarium materiam ab eterno creationem mundi praecessisse, et solutions earum (pp. 117-118)

Summa theologiae, Pars prima, a Quaestione I ad Quaestionem XLIX, in Sancti Thomae Aquinatis Opera Omnia (Rome, 1888), 4. Available online (1888 edition): in pdf http://archive.org/stream/operaomniaiussui04thom#page/n5/mode/2up; and in text form http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/sth1044.html

I, Q. 46:

Art. 1. Utrum universitas creaturarum semper fuerit (pp. 478-480)

Art. 2. Utrum mundum incoepisse sit articulus fidei (pp. 481-482)

Art. 3. Utrum creatio rerum fuerit in principio temporis (pp. 483-484)

 Commentaria in octo libros Physicorum Aristotelis, in Thomae Aquinatis Opera Omnia (Rome, 1884), 2. Available online: in pdf (1884 edition) http://archive.org/stream/operaomniaiussui02thom#page/n7/mode/2up; and in text form (Turin, 1954 edition) http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/cpy07.html

VIII, lectiones 1-2 (see also lectiones 3-4), pp. 361-372.

Quaestiones de quodlibet, in Sancti Thomae de Aquino Opera Omnia (Rome–Paris, 1996), 25.1-2, in 25.2. Available online (1956 edition) in text form; please see links below.

Quod. III, Q. 14, Art. 2. Utrum possit demonstrative probari quod mundus non sit eternus (pp. 290-291)

http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/q03.html#67468

Quodl. V, Q. 1, Art. 1. Utrum Deus sciat primum instans in quo potuit creare mundum (pp. 365-366)

http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/q05.html#67752

Quodl. XII, Q. 5, Art. 1. Utrum celum vel mundus sit eternus (p. 405)

http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/q12.html#86292

De aeternitate mundi, in Sancti Thomae de Aquino Opera Omnia (Rome, 1976), 43, pp. 85-89. Available online: in pdf https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9495t.r; and in text form http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/ocm.html

 

Thomas of York

Sapientiale II, Ch. 4, ‘In ponendo opiniones principales circa mundi antiquitatem et in adducendo rationes sapientum mundi propter quas ponebant mundum antiquum’ (An <creatio> sit nova vel antiqua), ed. E. Longpré, ‘Thomas d'York et Matthieu d'Aquasparta. Textes inédits sur le problème de la création’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 1 (1926), pp. 269-308, at 273-293.

 

Trivet, Nicolas

‘Utrum necesse sit Deum precessisse produccionem mundi duracione vel natura tantum’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 174-179.

 

William of Alnwick

Determinationes, Q. 10, ed. Faustino Antonio Prezioso, L’eternitá aristotelica del mondo in una “quaestio” inedita di Guglielmo Alnwick (†1333) (Padua, 1962).

Utrum asserere mundum fuisse ab aeterno fuerit de intentione Aristotelis (pp. 27-70)

Quaestiones disputatae de esse intelligibili et de quodlibet, ed. Athanasius Ledoux (Quaracchi, 1937).

QQ disp. (for context, see also QQ. 1-4, pp. 1-117)

Q. 5. Utrum esse intelligibile aeternum creaturae sit productum ab intellectu divino, et hoc est quaerere an Deus intelligendo creaturas ab aeterno produxit eas vel instituit in esse intelligibili per actum intelligendi (pp. 118-144)

Q. 6. Utrum esse intelligibile conveniens creaturae ab aeterno sit productum (pp. 144-175)

 

William of Auvergne

De universo, in Guilielmi Alverni Opera Omnia, 2 vols (Orleans–Paris, 1674; reprinted Frankfurt am Main, 1963), I, pp. 593-1074. English translation: Roland J. Teske (transl.), The Universe of Creatures, (Milwaukee, WI, 1998).

Part I.1, Ch. 21. Utrum per verbum aeternum res factae sunt libere et ab aeterno (pp. 614-617)

Part I.2:

Ch. 8. Utrum mundus sit eternus, et de errore Aristotelis et Avicenna (pp. 690-692)

Ch. 9. Solvit rationes Avicennae (pp. 692-694)

Ch. 10. Solvuntur aliquae difficultates (pp. 694-696)

Ch. 11. Per stories et rationes probat initium mundi (pp. 696-700)

 

William of Baglione

Utrum mundum non esse aeternum sit demonstrabile’, ed. Ignatius Brady, ‘The Questions of Master William of Baglione, O.F.M., De aeternitate mundi (Paris, 1266-1268)’, Antonianum, 47 (1972), pp. 362-371.

 

William of Durham

‘Questiones de eternitate’, ed. Richard C. Dales and Omar Argerami, Medieval Latin Texts on the Eternity of the World (Leiden, 1991), pp. 6-21.

 

William of Falegar

‘Utrum Deus potuerit producere aliquid sibi coeternum, differens ab eo essentialiter’, ed. A.J. Gondras, ‘Guillaume de Falegar. Oeuvres inedites’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 39 (1972), pp. 185-288, at 211-16.

 

William de la Mare

Scriptum in secundum librum Sententiarum, ed. Hans Kraml (Munich, 1995).

D. 1:

Q. 2. Utrum mundus sit aeternus (pp. 5-9)

Q. 3. Utrum Deus potuerit facere creaturam sibi coaeternam (pp. 10-11)

Q. 5. Utrum creatio sit mutatio (pp. 14-15)

Correctorium fratris Thomae, edited along with the response of Richard Knapwell in Palémon Glorieux, Le Correctorium Corruptorii Quare” (Kain, 1927).

In primam partem Summae

Art. 6. Quod mundum incepisse non potest demonstrari (pp. 30-40, at 31-34)

Art. 7. Quod non sequitur si Deus est causa activa mundi quod sit prior mundo duratione (pp. 40-45, at 40-43)

In quaestiones de quolibet

Art 9. Quod demonstrative non potest probari mundum non esse aeternum (pp. 410-412, at 411-412)

 

William of Ockham

Brevis summa libri Physicorum, ed. Stephen Brown in Giullelmi de Ockham Opera Philosophica (St. Bonaventure, NY, 1984), 6, pp. 1-134.

See discussion on pp. 116-121.

Expositio in libros Physicorum Aristotelis, VIII (incomplete), ed. Girard J. Etzkorn in Giullelmi de Ockham Opera Philosophica (St. Bonaventure, NY, 1985), 5, pp. 699-712.

See discussion on pp. 701-712.

Quodlibeta Septem, ed. Joseph C. Wey in Giullelmi de Ockham Opera Theologica (St. Bonaventure, NY, 1980), 9. Also in English translation: Alfred J. Freddoso and Francis E. Kelley (transl.), William of Ockham Quodlibetal Questions, 2 vols (New Haven–London, 1991), 1.

Quodl. II, Q. 5. Utrum Deus potuit fecisse mundum ab aeterno (pp. 128-135)

Q. disp. 1, ed. Girard J. Etzkorn, Francis E. Kelly and Joseph C. Wey, Quaestiones Variae, in Giullelmi de Ockham Opera Theologica (St. Bonaventure, NY, 1984), 8. English translation of the quaestio below: Richard N. Bosley and Martin M. Tweedale (eds), Basic Issues in Medieval Philosophy (Peterborough, Ontario, 1997), pp. 231-244.

Q. 3 (= Q. disp. 1). Utrum mundus potuit fuisse ab aeterno per potentiam divinam (pp. 59-97)

 

William of Ware

Sentences commentary, II, Q. 9, ed. Charles Anthony Silvestri, William of Ware’s Quaestio in IV libros Sententiarum 2, Q. 9: Utrum repugnet alicui creature, in quantum creatura est, fuisse ab eterno (ca . 1300) (PhD thesis, University of Southern California, 1995), pp. 19-70.

 

Wylton, Thomas

Quodlibet, Q. 9, ed. Władysław Seńko, ‘Tomasza Wiltona Quaestio disputata de anima intellectiva’, Studia Mediewistyczne, 5 (1964), pp. 156-190.

An ista simul stent, quod motus sit aeternaliter a Deo productus et cum hoc quod Deus sic produxit mundum libere, quod potuit ipsum non produxisse

Quodlibetal quaestioUtrum essentia divina sit perfectio infinita intensive’, ed. Elzbieta Jung-Palczewska, ‘La question quodlibétique De infinitate vigoris Dei de Thomas de Wylton’, Archives d’Hisotire Doctrinale et Littéraire du Moyen Âge, 64 (1997) pp. 335-403.