Ethical Implications of a Metaphysical Structure: Peter Ceffons and John Ripa

Andrea Nannini

Jump to Content

Chapter 8 Ethical Implications of a Metaphysical Structure

Peter Ceffons and John Ripa

In: Calculating Ethics in the Fourteenth Century

Author:

Andrea Nannini

Andrea Nannini
Search for other papers by Andrea Nannini in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed

Type:: Chapter

Pages:: 191–309

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004696495_009

Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):

€42.00€35.00 excl. VAT

Add to Cart

Redeem Access Token

Abstract

The Cistercian Peter Ceffons and the Franciscan John Ripa deal with a world of latitudes, intensities, degrees of being, and multiplicity, where every object or created being can be considered an expression of a precise intensity. Since intensity can infinitely grow or infinitely decrease, the two authors have consider several levels of infinity within the created domain. Ceffons’s approach features a unique analysis of the mathematical issue of the angle of contingency, from which he infers metaphysical consequences that range from the admission of an infinite growth within any created species, which does not result in approximating the perfection of the immediately superior species, to the admission of an infinite growth in individuals’ merit, without a concomitant growth in their metaphysical perfection. Ripa rejects Ceffons’s mathematical-metaphysical approach and constructs a highly original framework of stratified latitudes, where individuals of various species occupy specific positions. In doing so, he rebuts a too-easy infinitation of any individual within any species and simultaneously opposes Richard Kilvington’s endorsement of the infinite capacity of the human soul. In order to explain the beatific vision, which is a finite creature’s perception of the infinite being, Ripa distinguishes between three attitudes of the finite human soul: information, production, and vital modification. The las one enables a finite creature to enjoy (through a vital modification of its perceptiveness) the beatific fruition of the infinite being.

Citation Info

Save
Cite
Email this content

Share link with colleague or librarian

You can email a link to this page to a colleague or librarian:
Email this content
or copy the link directly:

https://brill.edhh.ma/abstract/book/9789004696495/BP000008.xml
The link was not copied. Your current browser may not support copying via this button.

Link copied successfully

Collapse
Expand

Calculating Ethics in the Fourteenth Century

Series: Investigating Medieval Philosophy, Volume: 22

E-Book ISBN:: 9789004696495

Publisher:: Brill

Print Publication Date:: 17 Jun 2023

Subjects
- History
  - Medieval History
  - Intellectual History
- Philosophy
  - Medieval Philosophy
  - Ethics & Moral Philosophy

Front Matter

Back Matter

ProCite

RefWorks

Reference Manager

BibTeX

Zotero

EndNote

Metrics

	All Time	Past 365 days	Past 30 Days
Abstract Views	187	66	12
Full Text Views	7	4	1
PDF Views & Downloads	5	1	1

African Studies	Education	Media Studies
American Studies	History	Middle East and Islamic Studies
Ancient Near East and Egypt	Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Musicology
Art History	International Law	Philosophy
Asian Studies	International Relations	Religious Studies
Biblical Studies	Jewish Studies	Slavic and Eurasian Studies
Biology	Languages and Linguistics	Social Sciences
Book History and Cartography	Life Sciences	Theology and World Christianity
Classical Studies	Literature and Cultural Studies

Subjects

Authors

Open Access

Product Information

Company

Contact

Chapter 8 Ethical Implications of a Metaphysical Structure

Peter Ceffons and John Ripa

Abstract

Citation Info

Share link with colleague or librarian

Calculating Ethics in the Fourteenth Century

Table of Contents

References

Metrics

Metrics