The next theme that will occupy our attention in our studies of Aristotle involves his analysis of the ways we use language. In his concern about classification, he realized that it was important to clarify the application of terms as precisely as possible. Otherwise our classifications would likely become ambiguous or confusing.

To assist in this project, Aristotle identified three different ways in which we use langauage: univocal, equivocal, and analogical. Each of these represents an important and distinct manner in which terms are applied, and it is important to grasp these distinctions, both for understanding Aristotle, but also for understanding all attempts at human communication.

In the history of Christian thought, Aristotle's treatment of this topic has been quite important. The great theologian of the middle ages, Thomas Aquinas, applied Aristotle's principles to clarify the limits of human vocabulary when it comes to the problem of trying to describe God. We will return to this question later when we take up the thought of Thomas.

1. Introduction to the Major Themes of Philosophy
2. The Ionian Philosophers
3. The Italian Philosophers
4. The Athenian Pluralists
5. The Life and Times of Socrates
6. Introduction to Plato
7. Plato's World of the Forms
8. Plato's Parable of the Cave
9. Dualism in Plato
10. Introduction to Aristotle
11. Aristotle's Metaphysics
12. Aristotle's Categories
13. Aristotle's Theory of Language
14. Aristotle's God
15. The Epicureans
16. Stoicism
17. Philo of Alexandria
18. The Christian Synthesis
19. Early Christian Apologists
20. Antiochan Christianity
21. Alexandrian Christianity
22. The Council of Nicaea
23. Manichaeism
24. Neo-Platonism
25. The Life of Augustine
26. Overview of Augustin's Thought
27. Augustin's Epistemology
28. Augustin's Epistemology (part 2)
29. Augustin's Theory of Faith
30. Augustin's Understanding of the Church
31. The Pelagian Controversy
32. The Pelagian Controversy (cont)
33. The Pelagian Controversy (concl)
34. Anselm of Canterbury
35. Anselm's Cur Deus Homo
36. Introduction to the Classical Synthesis
37. The Classical Synthesis (part 2)
38. Thomas Aquinas and the Five Ways
39. Art, Philosophy, and the Renaissance

This wide ranging course starts with the pre-Socratic philosophers of the ancient world, and traces the history of philosophical speculation across the ages up to the present. Included along the way is special attention to the greatest Christian thinkers in history, including Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin and many others.