How did medieval thinkers understand reality, human nature, and our ultimate purpose?

In this episode of In Focus, Dr. Carl Vater introduces medieval philosophy from roughly 1225 to 1308 — a pivotal period shaped by the rise of the universities, the rediscovery of Aristotle, and thinkers such as St. Thomas Aquinas and Blessed John Duns Scotus. He explores major medieval debates concerning metaphysics, analogy, causality, the human soul, knowledge, ethics, and the relationship between faith and reason.

For more, read Dr. Vater’s article Medieval Philosophy, circa 1225–1308 here: https://www.ect.org/en/article/medieval-philosophy

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Medieval Philosophy and Its Context
00:44 Historical Context
04:34 Faith and Reason
04:59 Metaphysics
29:51 Human Nature
39:35 Ethics