Scholastic studies

Medieval scholastic literature was essential for teaching. Every humanist pursuing higher education had been confronted with a reading list containing Anselm of Canterbury (one of the founders of scholasticism), Albertus Magnus, Thomas Aquinas, Hugh of Saint Victor and many others. It is thus less surprising that a Medici-sponsored library would offer such a substantial choice of scholastic literature. However the Badia provided a carefully selected scholasticism, considering its development and its different traditions and schools, while also representing some significant opponents of traditional Aristotelian teaching, such as Bernard of Clairvaux or Richard of Saint Victor. Scholasticism, understood as a specific “method” of disputation and teaching since the late 12th century, had its ultimate roots in the encyclopedic knowledge of Aristotle, who apparently had provided a considered discussion on the meaning of every possible social, political, physical scientific aspect of human life, environment and education.  Aristotle thus served the educational intention to classify knowledge well, preparing topics for discussion, and addressing the meaning of every visible or potential human circumstance. Aristotle’s teachings were fundamental for the categories of  knowledge, for preparing topics for discussion, and addressing the meaning of every visible or potential human circumstance.  Thus, his texts, and scholastic texts discussing Aristotle, were utterly indispensable in a teaching library.