Peter Abélard

"Peter Abélard" by Joseph McCabe is an early 20th-century depiction of the life of Peter Abélard, an important philosopher and theologian during medieval times, detailing his eventful life and its influence on both himself and his period. McCabe looks closely at Abélard's multifaceted personality and also his philosophical concepts and the dramatic events that marked his life. Early in the book, readers meet a young Peter Abélard from Brittany in the late 11th century who is setting out in pursuit of knowledge. The opening chapters are about his early upbringing, what inspired him, and the historical backdrop of changing ideas in medieval Europe. When he leaves home, Abélard's intellect and ambition lead him to the schools of Paris, where he soon gets involved in important philosophical arguments. His early studies under rationalist teachers established him as a powerful scholar, and highlight the conflict between intellectualism and traditional church teachings in this time in history.