John of Salisbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John of Salisbury |
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| Bishop of Chartres | |
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John of Salisbury teaching philosophy
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| Diocese | Chartres |
| Appointed | 1176 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | late 1110s Salisbury, England |
| Died | 25 October 1180 Chartres, France |
| Occupation |
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John of Salisbury (born in the late 1110s – died October 25, 1180) was an important English writer, thinker, teacher, and diplomat. He even became a bishop of Chartres in France. He called himself Johannes Parvus, which means "John the Little."
Contents
Early Life and Learning
John was born in Salisbury, England. He came from a humble background, not from a rich or powerful family. This meant his success depended on getting a good education. We don't know much about his early childhood, but we know he went to France around 1136. There, he started his studies in Paris with a famous teacher named Peter Abelard.
John's writings give us a great look into what it was like to be a student and teacher in the early days of the University of Paris. After Abelard left Paris, John continued his studies with other masters like Alberic and Robert of Melun. In 1137, he moved to Chartres. Here, he learned grammar from William of Conches and studied writing, logic, and classic texts with Richard l'Evêque. Richard's teacher, Bernard of Chartres, believed in studying old Latin writers and had ideas that were a bit like Neoplatonism (a type of philosophy). These ideas really influenced John's own work.
Around 1140, John went back to Paris to study theology (the study of religious faith). He supported himself by tutoring young noblemen. Later, he lived at a monastery and attended an important church meeting called the Council of Reims in 1148. It's thought that he met Theobald, the Archbishop of Canterbury, there and became his secretary.
Working for the Archbishop
John of Salisbury worked as a secretary for Archbishop Theobald for seven years. During this time, he met Thomas Becket, who became a very important person in John's life. John also traveled many times to see the Pope. On one of these trips, he met Nicholas Breakspear, who later became Pope Adrian IV. John even stayed with the Pope for several months in Italy.
Around 1159, John wrote his most famous books: Policraticus and Metalogicon. These books are super valuable because they tell us a lot about education and philosophy in the 12th century. They also show John's smart writing style and his interest in human nature. The Policraticus also talks about the problems and bad behavior in royal courts of that time.
In his book Metalogicon, John wrote about the idea of "standing on the shoulders of giants." This means that we learn and build on the knowledge of great thinkers who came before us. The Metalogicon also defends the trivium, which were the three basic subjects taught in medieval universities: grammar, logic, and rhetoric. John believed these subjects were important for people to learn and get along.
After Archbishop Theobald died in 1161, John continued to work for the new archbishop, Thomas Becket. John was very involved in the long arguments between Becket and King Henry II. The king saw John as someone working for the Pope.
John's letters from this time help us understand the political struggles happening in England. In 1163, John had problems with the king and moved to France. He spent six years there with his friend Peter of La Celle. In 1170, John helped prepare for Becket's return to England and was in Canterbury when Becket was killed. Later, in 1174, John became a treasurer at Exeter Cathedral.
Becoming a Bishop
In 1176, John of Salisbury was chosen to be the bishop of Chartres in France. He spent the rest of his life there. In 1179, he took part in a big church meeting called the Third Council of the Lateran. He passed away near Chartres on October 25, 1180.
John's Ideas and Influence
Many of John's writings weren't fully appreciated during his own time. Luckily, they survived because they were copied into books that contained more popular works. John's writings help us understand the intellectual world of 12th-century Western Europe. He was good at the new logic and debate skills taught at universities.
John believed that education should not just be about learning facts, but also about becoming a good and moral person. This idea was very important for Western education, and it was similar to how monks were educated before his time. It also connects to the ideas of Renaissance humanism that came later.
John knew a lot about Latin writers, and he admired Cicero greatly, even basing his own writing style on him. He didn't know much Greek, but he was one of the first medieval writers to know all of Aristotle's Organon (a collection of logic writings) in Latin.
He also created the phrase Theatrum Mundi, which means "the world as a stage." He wrote that "the life of man on earth is a comedy, where each forgetting his own plays another's role." This idea later influenced theater for many centuries.
His Ideas on Philosophy
John of Salisbury followed the ideas of Cicero, a Roman philosopher. Cicero believed that while some things could be proven, it was still good to question them. John emphasized this in his books. He didn't agree with extreme doubt that some thinkers had. Instead, John believed in "moderate skepticism." This means he thought knowledge could be based on three things: faith, reason, and our senses. This way of thinking allowed philosophers to discuss ideas without questioning God or other important beliefs of their time.
John's idea of moderate skepticism also shaped his other views. He didn't like Epicureanism, a philosophy that focused on pleasure. While he found some good in Epicurus's original ideas, John mainly criticized his followers. He thought they twisted Epicurus's teachings to just indulge in pleasure, which he believed wouldn't lead to true happiness. John also criticized people who acted like Epicureans without calling themselves that, meaning those who were overly focused on their own pleasure.
He also strongly disliked the ideas of Cornificius and his followers because they tried to reject the trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric).
However, John thought that having any philosophical thought was crucial for humans. He believed that the ability to think logically was what separated humans from animals. He said that philosophy was essential for a healthy mind and well-being. He argued that people without philosophical thought were like wild animals. This is why he strongly supported the trivium, seeing learning and discussion as important for sharing and improving philosophical ideas, which also helped people's well-being.
His Ideas on Medicine
John of Salisbury also shared his thoughts on the medical system of his time in his books Policraticus and Metalogicon. He believed that medical science needed a better balance between theory (ideas) and practice (doing things). He was worried that the medical system had become unfair or corrupt.
John thought medicine was important, but he criticized doctors for seeming more interested in making money than helping patients. Some doctors focused too much on theories, even trying to figure out how the soul related to health. John thought this was not practical because it couldn't be tested and went into religious beliefs. He felt that these theoretical doctors often ignored real, physical causes of illness.
On the other hand, he said that practical doctors sometimes ignored their own mistakes or chances to learn new things. They might claim they couldn't have done anything differently if a patient died. John argued that doctors should balance seeking new truths with actually practicing and using those truths.
He also believed that doctors were making medical language too confusing for patients. John suggested that doctors should focus on a balance of both learning and practice. He even proposed a set of steps for treatment he called the "regularum compendium": first, find the source of the illness; second, focus on healing it; and third, provide aftercare to help the patient recover and prevent future illnesses.
In Movies
John of Salisbury was played by actor Alex G. Hunter in the 1924 silent movie Becket. This movie was based on a play by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
His Writings
Here are some of John of Salisbury's important works:
- Metalogicon
- The Letters of John of Salisbury
- Historia Pontificalis
- Policraticus
