Henry of Ghent facts for kids

Henry of Ghent (around 1217 – June 29, 1293) was an important scholastic philosopher. He was known as Doctor Solemnis, which means "the Solemn Doctor". People also called him Henricus de Gandavo or Henricus Gandavensis.

Life of Henry of Ghent

Henry was born in a place called Mude, which is close to Ghent. Some people believe his family name was Bonicolli, or Goethals in Dutch.

Early Education and Teaching

He studied in Ghent and then in Cologne. In Cologne, he learned from a famous teacher named Albertus Magnus. After finishing his studies and becoming a doctor, he went back to Ghent. It is said that he was the first person to teach philosophy and theology publicly there.

Time in Paris

Henry was drawn to Paris because of its famous university. There, he became involved in many debates between different religious groups and the local priests. He supported the local priests.

Around 1277, while Henry was teaching at the University of Paris, some ideas were officially declared wrong. These were called the Condemnations of 1277. The bishop of Paris, Stephen Tempier, listed about 219 ideas from university teachers that were not allowed. Henry helped create some of these ideas. Because of this, he was called to meet with a high church official.

Later, in 1281, a new rule was made by Pope Martin IV. This rule caused another big argument. Henry supported the local priests against the Mendicant Orders (like friars). The argument was about whether people had to confess their sins to their local priest, even if they had already confessed to a friar. Henry continued this debate for the rest of his life. He passed away in Tournai (or possibly Paris).

Henry's Philosophical Ideas

Henry of Ghent had many interesting ideas about how the world works and how we know things.

What is "Being"?

Henry believed that everything created by God has a special kind of "being." He called this the "being of essence" or esse essentiae. This is not about something actually existing in the world. Instead, it's about the basic nature or idea of something. He also said that things have a "somethingness" (aliquitas).

He explained that God first creates the "being of essence." Then, this essence becomes a "something" (esse aliquid per essentiam). Finally, this complete essence is made real and exists in the world.

Intentional Distinction

Henry talked about something called an "intentional distinction." This is when the same thing can be understood in different ways using different ideas. It's not just a difference in words. It also suggests a slight difference in how things are put together, even if they are really the same.

For example, think about "rational" and "animal" when we talk about a human. These are not just different words for the same thing. But they are also not completely separate things. If they were completely separate, then a person being both "animal" and "rational" would be a pure accident. So, Henry said there must be an "intentional" difference. This idea later helped another philosopher, Duns Scotus, develop his "formal distinction."

Divine Illumination

Henry's ideas were greatly influenced by Platonism. He thought there were two ways of knowing. One way is knowing about everyday objects. The other is knowing about God's existence and being, which comes from divine inspiration. Knowing about objects does not help us understand God.

He believed that individual things exist because they are created as separate entities. He also said that general ideas (called Universals) are different depending on whether they are in our minds or in God's mind. In God's mind, there are perfect examples or types of all natural things.

Henry's ideas on this topic can be a bit hard to understand. But he defended Plato against common criticisms from followers of Aristotle. He tried to show that Plato's and Aristotle's views could work together. In his ideas about the mind and body, he believed the soul and body are very closely connected. He even thought the body was part of the soul's substance, making the soul more complete.

Scientific Knowledge

Henry had very high standards for what counts as true scientific knowledge. He followed Aristotle's ideas closely. Henry said that true knowledge must meet four conditions:

• First, it must be absolutely certain, meaning no doubt or deception.
• Second, it must be about something that is always true and necessary.
• Third, it must come from a cause that is clear to the mind.
• Fourth, it must be proven using a logical reasoning process.

Because of these strict rules, he believed we could not truly "know" anything about things that are uncertain or can change. Another philosopher, Duns Scotus, disagreed with him on this point.

Works by Henry of Ghent

Henry of Ghent wrote many important books and collections of questions. Here are some of them:

• Quodlibeta Theologica (published in Paris in 1518, and Venice in 1608 and 1613).
• Summae quaestionum ordinarium (published in Paris in 1520, and Ferrara in 1646).
• Henrici de Gandavo Opera Omnia (a collection of all his works, started in Leuven in 1979).
• Syncategoremata Henrico de Gandavo adscripta (edited by H.A.G. Braakhuis, Girard J. Etzkorn, and Gordon Wilson, published in Leuven in 2010).

A work called the Affligem Catalogus virorum illustrium was once thought to be by Henry of Ghent, but this was a mistake.

Translations of His Works

Many of Henry's works have been translated into English so more people can read them. Here are a few examples:

• Henry of Ghent's Summa of Ordinary Questions. Article One: On the Possibility of Knowing (translated by Roland J. Teske, S.J., 2008).
• Henry of Ghent's "Summa": The Questions on God's Existence and Essence (Articles 21-24) (translated by Jos Decorte and Roland J. Teske, S.J., 2005).
• Henry of Ghent's "Summa": The Questions on God's Unity and Simplicity (Articles 25-30) (translated by Roland J. Teske, S.J., 2006).
• Henry of Ghent: Metaphysics and the Trinity (by Juan Carlos Flores, 2006).
• Henry of Ghent, Quodlibetal Questions on Free Will (translated by Roland J. Teske, 1993).
• Henry of Ghent, Quodlibetal Questions on Moral Problems (translated by Roland J. Teske, 2005).

See also

In Spanish: Enrique de Gante para niños