Nature Considered Absolutely: P. Fonseca and His Outstanding Medieval Predecessors

The paper deals with the issue of absolutely considered nature in the work of the early Modern Portuguese scholar philosopher Pedro de Fonseca. His doctrine is set out within the context of three influential medieval concepts (Avicenna, Aquinas, Duns Scotus) and all the theories are compared with one another. Fonseca's concept, in which nature of itself has an actual unity of precision and actual universality, is found to be ontologically less sober.

Keywords: Nature considered absolutely; Avicenna; Aquinas; Duns Scotus; P. Fonseca