Sic et Non
Encyclopedia
Sic et Non, an early scholastic
text whose title translates from Medieval Latin
as "Yes and No," was written by Pierre Abélard
. In the work, Abélard juxtaposes apparently contradictory quotations from the Church Fathers
on many of the traditional topics of Christian
theology
. In the Prologue, Abélard outlines rules for reconciling these contradictions, the most important of which is noting the multiple significations of a single word. However, Abélard does not himself apply these rules in the body of the Sic et non, which has led scholars to conclude that the work was meant as an exercise book for students in applying dialectic (logic) to theology.
In Sic et Non, Abelard presents 158 questions that present a theological assertion and allows its negation.
The first five questions are:
1. Must human faith be completed by reason, or not?
2. Does faith deal only with unseen things, or not?
3. Is there any knowledge of things unseen, or not?
4. May one believe only in God alone, or not?
5. Is God a single unitary being, or not?
The prologue frames the text as a professor's guide, "Aristotle
, the most clear-sighted of all the philosophers, was desirous above all things else to arouse this questioning spirit ..." The act of questioning authority in the university context and arguing both sides, afforded him a healthy distance from official inquisition.
There is also one surviving manuscript containing solely q. 117:
An examination of these manuscripts demonstrates the existence of successive drafts of the Sic et non.
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...
text whose title translates from Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
as "Yes and No," was written by Pierre Abélard
Peter Abelard
Peter Abelard was a medieval French scholastic philosopher, theologian and preeminent logician. The story of his affair with and love for Héloïse has become legendary...
. In the work, Abélard juxtaposes apparently contradictory quotations from the Church Fathers
Church Fathers
The Church Fathers, Early Church Fathers, Christian Fathers, or Fathers of the Church were early and influential theologians, eminent Christian teachers and great bishops. Their scholarly works were used as a precedent for centuries to come...
on many of the traditional topics of Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
. In the Prologue, Abélard outlines rules for reconciling these contradictions, the most important of which is noting the multiple significations of a single word. However, Abélard does not himself apply these rules in the body of the Sic et non, which has led scholars to conclude that the work was meant as an exercise book for students in applying dialectic (logic) to theology.
In Sic et Non, Abelard presents 158 questions that present a theological assertion and allows its negation.
The first five questions are:
1. Must human faith be completed by reason, or not?
2. Does faith deal only with unseen things, or not?
3. Is there any knowledge of things unseen, or not?
4. May one believe only in God alone, or not?
5. Is God a single unitary being, or not?
The prologue frames the text as a professor's guide, "Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, the most clear-sighted of all the philosophers, was desirous above all things else to arouse this questioning spirit ..." The act of questioning authority in the university context and arguing both sides, afforded him a healthy distance from official inquisition.
Recensions and dating of the Sic et non
There are eleven surviving full and partial manuscripts of the Sic et non. These are:- Zürich, Zentralbibliothek, Car. C. 162, fols. 23–38v (siglum Z)
- Tours, Bibliothèque Municipale, 85, fols. 106rb–118v (siglum T)
- Montecassino, Archivio dell'Abbadia, 174, pp. 277–451 (siglum C)
- Einsiedeln, Stiftsbibliothek, 300, pp. 1–74 (siglum E)
- Brescia, Biblioteca Quiriniana, A.V. 21, fols. 14–64v (siglum B)
- Douai, Bibliothèque Municipale, 357, fols. 140–155v (siglum D)
- London, British Museum, Royal 11 A v, fols. 73–98v (siglum L)
- München, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Clm. 18926, fols. 14v–105v (siglum M)
- Cambridge, University Library, Kk 3.24, fols. 67v–159 (siglum K)
- Avranches, Bibliothèque Municipale, 12, fols. 132–07 (siglum A)
- Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, 165, pp. 1–355 (siglum k)
There is also one surviving manuscript containing solely q. 117:
- Turin, Biblioteca Nazionale, MS E. v. 9 (749) (siglum S).
An examination of these manuscripts demonstrates the existence of successive drafts of the Sic et non.
- Z is the earliest known recension of the Sic et non, which, according to Constant Mews, dates to 1121. Parallels between Z and Abelard's other works from this period show that Z is not an abbreviation of the TCEBS recension of the Sic et non, as Boyer and McKeon believed.
- TCEB and S belong to the next earliest recension of the Sic et non, which dates to 1121–1126.
- DL belong to an intermediate recension of the Sic et non, which likewise dates to the period 1121–1126.
- MKAk belong to the latest recension of the Sic et non, which dates to the period 1127–1132.