Nicholas of Autrecourt
Encyclopedia
Nicholas of Autrecourt was a French
medieval philosopher
and Scholastic
theologian.
Born in Autrecourt
, near Verdun
, he was known principally for developing skepticism
to extreme logic
al conclusions. He is sometimes considered the sole genuinely skeptic philosopher of medieval times. Like David Hume
centuries later, he founded his skeptical position on arguments that knowledge claims were not "reducible to the first principle", that is, that it was not contradictory to deny them. Whether he was committed to these conclusions is unclear, but on 19 May 1346 they were condemned by Pope Clement VI
as heretical
and his books publicly burned.
In the 14th century, Nicholas of Autrecourt considered that matter, space, and time were all made up of indivisible atoms, points, and instants and that all generation and corruption took place by the rearrangement of material atoms. The similarities of his ideas with those of al-Ghazali
suggest that Nicholas was familiar with the work of al-Ghazali, who was known as "Algazel" in Europe, either directly or indirectly through Averroes
.
, Atomic Science, Bombs and Power, New York: Collier Books
, 1962. [Name spelled "Nicholas of Autrucia."]
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
medieval philosopher
Medieval philosophy
Medieval philosophy is the philosophy in the era now known as medieval or the Middle Ages, the period roughly extending from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD to the Renaissance in the sixteenth century...
and Scholastic
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
theologian.
Born in Autrecourt
Autrécourt-sur-Aire
Autrécourt-sur-Aire is a commune in the Meuse department in the Lorraine region in north-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Meuse department...
, near Verdun
Verdun
Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...
, he was known principally for developing skepticism
Skepticism
Skepticism has many definitions, but generally refers to any questioning attitude towards knowledge, facts, or opinions/beliefs stated as facts, or doubt regarding claims that are taken for granted elsewhere...
to extreme logic
Logic
In philosophy, Logic is the formal systematic study of the principles of valid inference and correct reasoning. Logic is used in most intellectual activities, but is studied primarily in the disciplines of philosophy, mathematics, semantics, and computer science...
al conclusions. He is sometimes considered the sole genuinely skeptic philosopher of medieval times. Like David Hume
David Hume
David Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist, known especially for his philosophical empiricism and skepticism. He was one of the most important figures in the history of Western philosophy and the Scottish Enlightenment...
centuries later, he founded his skeptical position on arguments that knowledge claims were not "reducible to the first principle", that is, that it was not contradictory to deny them. Whether he was committed to these conclusions is unclear, but on 19 May 1346 they were condemned by Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
as heretical
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
and his books publicly burned.
In the 14th century, Nicholas of Autrecourt considered that matter, space, and time were all made up of indivisible atoms, points, and instants and that all generation and corruption took place by the rearrangement of material atoms. The similarities of his ideas with those of al-Ghazali
Al-Ghazali
Abu Hāmed Mohammad ibn Mohammad al-Ghazzālī , known as Algazel to the western medieval world, born and died in Tus, in the Khorasan province of Persia was a Persian Muslim theologian, jurist, philosopher, and mystic....
suggest that Nicholas was familiar with the work of al-Ghazali, who was known as "Algazel" in Europe, either directly or indirectly through Averroes
Averroes
' , better known just as Ibn Rushd , and in European literature as Averroes , was a Muslim polymath; a master of Aristotelian philosophy, Islamic philosophy, Islamic theology, Maliki law and jurisprudence, logic, psychology, politics, Arabic music theory, and the sciences of medicine, astronomy,...
.
Further reading
David DietzDavid Dietz
David Dietz was a Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist and author.Dietz attended Case Western Reserve University and received his bachelor's degree in 1919. In 1921 he took a position as science editor for the Scripps-Howard Newspapers, a job he kept until his retirement in 1977...
, Atomic Science, Bombs and Power, New York: Collier Books
Collier Books
Collier Books was a publisher established by the Collier family. It later become part of Crowell-Collier Publishing, which merged with Macmillan Publishing to become Macmillan, Inc.....
, 1962. [Name spelled "Nicholas of Autrucia."]