Douglas Stones

Peter Abelard - The History of My Calamities Douglas Stones

Peter Abelard (1709-1142) was a French scholastic philosopher, considered one of the greatest thinkers of the XII century. His relationship with the student Heloísa also became famous. Peter Abelard was born in Pallet, France. Destined by family to pursue a military career. However, the young Abelardo chose the path of philosophy and letters. He had as a disciple Roscelino de Compiègne and Guilherme de Champeaux. He learned the Trivium, a set of disciplines related to language in the Middle Ages. Theology soon became the center of Abelardo's concerns. His main work, "Dialectics", inspired by Bohetius, was widely used in medieval schools, along with the first studies contained in the Trivium. The work taught students how to debate theological and metaphysical issues. Its teaching method was considered revolutionary at the time, because it stimulated debates and contradictions between the established questions. His romance with a student, Heloísa, became known. They both had a son, Astrolabe. Abelardo suffered castration and entered a monastery. Even so, he exchanged letters regularly with Heloísa. Peter Abelard died in the Saint-Marcel Priory (Chalons-sur-Saône).