Cognitive Psychology in the Middle Ages

(Hardback)

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Description

This book summarizes the ideas about cognitive psychology expressed in the writings of medieval Europeans. Up until the 13th century, Christians who wrote about cognitive psychology, foremost of whom was St. Augustine, did so in the Neoplatonic tradition. The translation of the works of Aristotle and some of the works of Arab scholars into Latin during the 12th and 13th centuries brought a high level of sophistication to the theories. The author touches upon the works of Augustine, Averro^Des, Avicenna, Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, William of Ockham, and others.

Reviews

Kemp examines cognitive psychology from roughly the fourth to the 15th century CE. A brief history of the Middle Ages provides useful context to understand the pithier religious and philosophical variables that influenced psychological thinking in general. Much of the book (as does much of medieval scholarship) revolves around Aristotle's cognitive theory . . . and the medieval debate and interpretation that followed. . . . This book will be of particular interest and value to scholars and enthusiasts of the history of psychology, and also to cognitive psychologists looking for a broader historical-centextual background for their work. * Choice *
[W]ell organized and well conceived. * Speculum, A Journal of Medieval Studies *

Author Bio

Simon Kemp received his PhD in psychology from Auckland University. He is currently associate professor of psychology at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. Dr. Kemp is the author of Medieval Psychology (Greenwood, 1990).