Seminar: “Hervaeus Natalis on Astral Determinism: A First Overview”
Francesco Binotto (Mellon Fellow, PIMS)
Although scholarly research on Hervaeus Natalis’ thought is vast, only a few issues have been investigated in depth (i.e., his theory of intentionality, his theory of human knowledge, his conception of essence and existence, his conception of matter and form). Scholars have instead neglected Hervaeus’ reply to the issue of determinism.
This seminar aims to provide a first approach to Hervaeus’ strategy against astral determinism, according to which the movements of heaven and heavenly bodies make every sublunary effect necessary. After introducing the figure of Hervaeus Natalis and some of his works (i.e., the Commentary on the Sentences and Quodlibeta I-IV), I will focus on In II Sent., d. 15, q. 1, a. 4. Through the analysis of some passages from this text, I will show that: (i) Hervaeus conceives (the movements of) heaven and heavenly bodies as impedible and not necessary causes; (ii) celestial movements are not necessitated by angels’ volitions; (iii) the causal influence exerted by heaven and heavenly bodies does not make every sublunary effect necessary.
The seminar begins at 3:10 PM EST.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/89187100158
Meeting ID: 891 8710 0158
Passcode: 610860