Peter Abelgard, born in 1079 and died on April 21, 1142, was one of the most influential philosophers and theologians of the 12th century. He served as a mentor to an entire generation of students, as well as dabbled in poetry and music. Before the discovery of Aristotelian scrolls, he was the pre-eminent source of the Latin school in philosophy and carried it’s legacy quite well. His high levels of intelligence were noticeably dispersed throughout a multitude of his works. He has a reputation for being the most influential logician of the Middle Ages and was a pioneer when it came to nominalist philosophy. He was essentially the father of applying reason and logic within the scope of religion, is said to have coined the word “theology” and his analytical abilities when it came to religious dogma and the philosophically inclined approach he used in relations to it.
He was certainly someone to stand out in a room; he was known for his witty nature, his sharp tongue, for amazing memory skills and unfettered levels of self confidence gave him the recipe needed to be the most difficult opponent as a debater. It is claimed by witnesses, both challengers as well as those who supported him, to never have lost an argument. He came on strong with his personality and did not take a lot of effort for him to leave a lasting impression on them that stayed with them for a long time. Alas, he could not win the heart of Heloise and gained a tragic tale to tell about their romantic mishaps, and his legendary squabbles with Bernard Clairvaux on the subjects of reason and religion elevated him to a godly transposition in the Age of Enlightenment. The cherry on top of everything and at the core of his very being was his contributions to philosophy.
Early Life Biography:
The biography of Abelard has had the privilege of being very well detailed and documented. Aside from meticulous documentation contained within the public record of the time, a more thorough and intimate glimpse is provided to us by himself in an autobiographical document named the Historia calamitatum, which roughly translates to “The Story of my Troubles”, as well as love letters that were written to Heloise and then subsequently preserved as an artifact of value.
Abelard was born into the lower classes of noblemen around 1079 AD in the small town of La Pallet, geographically close to Nantes in the French region of Brittany. He was tutored at an early age in the art of writing letters, and often exerted the influence of such prior philosophers as Cicero, Horace, Juvenal, Ovid, Lucan, Seneca and Vergil into the context of his letters. Abelard gave up his inheritance, through which also guaranteed him the right to be knighted, so he could focus on his efforts in the field of philosophy. He would accompany eminent philosophers of the time such as Roscelin and William of Champeaux on their journeys and adventures.