Thinking About Animals in Thirteenth-Century Paris : Theologians on the Boundary Between Humans and Animals

"Exploring what theologians at the University of Paris in the thirteenth century understood about the boundary between humans and animals, this book demonstrates the great variety of ways in which they held similarity and difference in productive tension. Analysing key theological works, Ian P. Wei presents extended close readings of William of Auvergne, the Summa Halensis, Bonaventure, Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas. These scholars found it useful to consider animals and humans together, especially with regard to animal knowledge and behaviour, when discussing issues including creation, the fall, divine providence, the heavens, angels and demons, virtues and passions. While they frequently stressed that animals had been created for use by humans, and sometimes treated them as tools employed by God to shape human behaviour, animals were also analytical tools for the theologians themselves. This study thus reveals how animals became a crucial resource for generating knowledge of God and the whole of creation"-- Provided by publisher 03.0_pp_iv_iv_Copyright_page 1 04.0_pp_v_vi_Dedication 5 05.0_pp_vii_viii_Contents 7 06.0_pp_ix_x_Preface 9 07.0_pp_1_8_Introduction 11 08.0_pp_9_94_William_of_Auvergne 19 09.0_pp_95_144_The_Summa_Halensis_and_Bonaventure 105 10.0_pp_145_200_Albert_the_Great_and_Thomas_Aquinas 155 11.0_pp_201_208_Conclusion 211 12.0_pp_209_218_Bibliography 219 13.0_pp_219_226_Index 229 William of Auvergne -- The Summa Halensis and Bonaventure -- Albert the Great and Thomas Aquinas