Paul Scriptoris
Encyclopedia
Paul Scriptoris was a German
Franciscan mathematician
, Scotist
, and professor at the University of Tübingen. His surname is a Latin
translation of the original German
name Schreiber ("writer"). Born in Weil der Stadt
, Scriptoris studied at Paris
and joined the Franciscan order. He subsequently began teaching at Tübingen. Konrad Pellikan, who became Scriptoris’ most favored pupil, joined him at Tübingen in March 1496.
Scriptoris was an extremely successful teacher in the natural sciences, and awakened interest in this subject in many of his students. His students included his fellow professors and members of other religious orders.
He lectured on the cosmography
of Ptolemy
and also taught and studied Euclid
. He also wrote a commentary on a work by Duns Scotus
, which was published by Johann Ottmar on March 24, 1498. It carries the distinction of being the first book created with a printing press
in the city of Tübingen.
At Tübingen, Scriptoris opposed the appointment of the Realist
Johann Heynlin
to the faculty.
In 1499, Scriptoris was lecturing against transubstantiation
of the bread into the body of Christ. For this he was banished by the Franciscans and died in exile, at Kaysersberg
in Alsace
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Franciscan mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
, Scotist
Scotism
Scotism is the name given to the philosophical and theological system or school named after Blessed John Duns Scotus. The word comes from the name of its originator, whose Opus Oxoniense was one of the most important documents in medieval philosophy and Roman Catholic theology, defining what would...
, and professor at the University of Tübingen. His surname is a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
translation of the original German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
name Schreiber ("writer"). Born in Weil der Stadt
Weil der Stadt
Weil der Stadt is a small town of about 19,000 inhabitants, located in the Stuttgart Region of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is about west of Stuttgart city center, and is often called "Gate to the Black Forest"...
, Scriptoris studied at Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and joined the Franciscan order. He subsequently began teaching at Tübingen. Konrad Pellikan, who became Scriptoris’ most favored pupil, joined him at Tübingen in March 1496.
Scriptoris was an extremely successful teacher in the natural sciences, and awakened interest in this subject in many of his students. His students included his fellow professors and members of other religious orders.
He lectured on the cosmography
Cosmography
Cosmography is the science that maps the general features of the universe, describing both heaven and Earth...
of Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
and also taught and studied Euclid
Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
. He also wrote a commentary on a work by Duns Scotus
Duns Scotus
Blessed John Duns Scotus, O.F.M. was one of the more important theologians and philosophers of the High Middle Ages. He was nicknamed Doctor Subtilis for his penetrating and subtle manner of thought....
, which was published by Johann Ottmar on March 24, 1498. It carries the distinction of being the first book created with a printing press
Printing press
A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium , thereby transferring the ink...
in the city of Tübingen.
At Tübingen, Scriptoris opposed the appointment of the Realist
Philosophical realism
Contemporary philosophical realism is the belief that our reality, or some aspect of it, is ontologically independent of our conceptual schemes, linguistic practices, beliefs, etc....
Johann Heynlin
Johann Heynlin
Johann Heynlin Johann Heynlin (variously spelled Heynlein, Henelyn, Henlin, Hélin, Hemlin, Hegelin, Steinlin; and translated as Jean à Lapide, Jean La Pierre (Lapierre, De la Pierre), Johannes Lapideus, Johannes de Lapide) Johann Heynlin (variously spelled Heynlein, Henelyn, Henlin, Hélin, Hemlin,...
to the faculty.
In 1499, Scriptoris was lecturing against transubstantiation
Transubstantiation
In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...
of the bread into the body of Christ. For this he was banished by the Franciscans and died in exile, at Kaysersberg
Kaysersberg
Kaysersberg is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are called Kaysersbergeois. The name means Emperor's Mountain in German....
in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
.
Works
- Lectura Fratris Pauli Scriptoris Ordinis Minorum de observantia quam edidit declarando subtilissimas Doctoris subtilis sententias circa Magistrum in primo libro, Tübingen, 1498.
- Carpi (ed. Joannes de Montesdoca), 1506.
- These des Paul Scriptoris OFM über die in Konstanz übliche Praxis der öffentlichen Buße, in: Rottenburger Jb. für Kirchengesch. 11 (1992), 115 f.