Instruction

Return to St. Albert the Great, Logic Prelection In this chapter, St. Albert the Great explains why logic is not merely helpful for philosophy, but absolutely necessary for every science and for the perfection of human understanding itself. Logic teaches the mind how to move from what is known to what is unknown, how to ask questions rightly, how to reason from proper principles, and how to judge whether conclusions are true or false. Without logic, a person may possess opinions or even certain truths, but he cannot fully understand why they are true, defend them against objections, or teach … Continue

Return to St. Albert the Great, Logic Prelection In this chapter, St. Albert the Great asks whether logic is truly a part of philosophy or only a method used by the other philosophical sciences. Some argued that philosophy has only three speculative parts—natural philosophy, mathematics, and metaphysics—and that logic, being the common instrument of all reasoning, stands outside philosophy. St. Albert answers that this dispute often arises from using the word “philosophy” in different senses: if philosophy means only the contemplation of realities outside the mind, logic is not counted among its parts; but if philosophy means the ordered pursuit … Continue

Source text CAPUT III. De Diffinitione vel Descriptione Generis Physici. Literal Translation:Chapter III. Concerning definition or description of physical genus. Translation:Chapter III. On the Definition or Description of Physical Genus Explanation:This is another chapter heading marking a shift in the argument. After discussing genus in its broader and philosophical senses, St. Albert now turns to the definition or description of physical genus, that is, genus as considered in natural philosophy. The pairing of diffinitio and descriptio suggests attention both to a strict account of what physical genus is and to a broader way of characterizing it for understanding. For students, … Continue

Source text CAPUT II. De Genere Philosophico, et Quomodo Assimilatur Aliis? Literal Translation:“Chapter II. Concerning philosophical genus, and how is-it made-similar to others?” Translation:Chapter II. On Philosophical Genus, and How It Is Compared to Other Things Explanation:This is a chapter title announcing the next stage of the discussion. After treating broader and analogical senses of genus, St. Albert now turns to genus in the philosophical sense and to the question of how it can be likened to other things. The title signals a more technical inquiry: not just what genus means in ordinary or extended usage, but how the philosophical … Continue

Source text 1. Primo igitur in tractatu de universalibus de genere loquendum est. Literal Translation:“First therefore in (the) treatise concerning universals concerning genus must-be-spoken.” Translation:First, then, in the treatise on universals, one must speak about genus. Explanation:This is a programmatic opening sentence that sets out the order of discussion. St. Albert is beginning a treatment of universals and says that the first topic to be addressed is genus. In scholastic logic, genus is one of the basic ways in which things can be predicated and classified, so it makes sense to begin here before moving to more specific notions such … Continue

Lines 1-97 need to be revised to confirm accuracy of transcribed text. 1. Sic ergo explicata quaestione, hi qui dicunt in solis, nudis, purisque intellectibus posita esse septem pro se fortiores inducunt rationes. Thus therefore (having) explicated (the) question, these who say in sole, nude, and pure intellects posited to-be seven for themselves stronger induce reasons. Therefore, the question having been explained in this way, those who maintain that universals exist only in bare and pure intellects now bring forward seven stronger arguments in support of their position. This sentence serves as a transition into the third chapter of the … Continue

1. A quibus quaestionibus circa universalia sit abstinendum.From which questions concerning universals there should-be abstaining. 2. Ne autem videatur quod nulla scientia de his sit, quae per logicae principia determinari non possunt: sed oportet quod altissimae sapientiae principiis determinentur.Lest however it-may-seem that no knowledge of these things is, which through principles of-logic to-be-determined are not able: but it-is-necessary that by-principles of-highest wisdom they-be-determined. 3. Prima quidem est, an ista quae genera et species dicuntur, in re subsistant, aut non quidem in rerum natura sint subsistentia, sed in solis nudis purisque intellectibus per abstractionem a rebus factam sint posita?The first indeed … Continue

1. Quomodo universale est de consideratione logici, et de numero universalium, ac de utilitate libri universalium.How universal is of consideration of-the logician, and of the number of universals, and of the usefulness of-the book of-universals. 2. Primum autem quod in scientia logica est considerandum, universale est: quia si ratio predicabilis de aliis secundum veritatem attendatur, proprie et vere predicari de alio non potest, nisi quod inest illi de quo predicatur.First however what in science logical is to-be-considered, universal is: because if the account of-the-predicable concerning others according-to truth be-attended-to, properly and truly to-be-predicated of another it cannot, unless what is-in … Continue

Classical Liberal Arts AcademyMr. William C. Michael, O.P.05/07/2026 Lesson Text: Porphyry, Introduction. Chapter 1 Introduction Welcome to the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. This lecture is intended for students enrolled in the Academy, who are studying according to the instructions provided on “How to Study for Mastery” at classicalliberalarts.com/mastery. Courses in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy provide students with access to all necessary study materials, graded assessments, records and expert support. If you would like to join us for self-paced classical studies, please visit classicalliberalarts.com. “Lord our God, in your wisdom and love you surround us with the mysteries of the … Continue

Classical Liberal Arts AcademyMr. William C. Michael, O.P.05/07/2026 Lesson Text: Porphyry, Introduction. Chapter 6 Introduction Welcome to the Classical Liberal Arts Academy. This lecture is intended for students enrolled in the Academy, who are studying according to the instructions provided on “How to Study for Mastery” at classicalliberalarts.com/mastery. Courses in the Classical Liberal Arts Academy provide students with access to all necessary study materials, graded assessments, records and expert support. If you would like to join us for self-paced classical studies, please visit classicalliberalarts.com. “Lord our God, in your wisdom and love you surround us with the mysteries of the … Continue