Spade, Paul, trans., Ethical Writings: His Ethics or "Know Yourself" and His Dialogue between a Philosopher, a Jew, and a Christian (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc., 1995). ISBN: 872203220
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Text name(s): Ethics; Know Yourself; Dialogue between a Philosopher, a Jew and a Christian

Number of pages of primary source text: 148

Medieval Author(s): Abelard, Peter

Dates: 1136 - 1139

Archival Reference:

Original Language(s): Latin;

Translation: English translation.

Translation Comments: Ethics or "Know Yourself" Translated from the critical Latin edition by D. E. Luscombe. Dialogue between a Philosopher, a Jew and a Christian translated from the critical Latin edition by Rudolf Thomas.

Geopolitical Region(s): Europe;

County/Region:

Apparatus: Index Bibliography Introduction

Comments:

Abelard was a controversial twelfth century philosopher and theologian, who offered a number of revolutionary insights in logic and was famous for his romance with Heloise. His Ethics discusses the nature of moral evil, with particular focus on psychological intenionality rather than objective action as the basis for sin, while his dialogue investigates the relationship between reason and revelation through three dramatis personae: The Jew, the Christian, and the Philosopher.

Introduction Summary:

The 20 page introduction by Marilyn McCord Adams covers Abelard’s life and works, contrasts schemes of human evaluation, discusses cross-cultural dilemmas, and presents an analysis of the text. Also included in the volume is a 4 page translator’s introduction by David Spade, in which he discusses general and particular issues in translating Abelard’s work.

Cataloger: SLE