ALBERTUS MAGNUS.

This interesting edition of Albertus Magnus’ influential Aristotelian commentary on metaphysics, was strongly influenced by Averroes and Avicenna. It was part of a project encompassing the printing of revised eds of Albertus Magnus’ works, overseen by the printers Johannes and Gregorius de Gregoriis, in Venice, as stated in the initial privilege. Albertus Magnus (1200-80) was a German friar, later canonised, responsible for the establishment of the curriculum studiorum of the Dominicans, including the study of Aristotle. He was also conversant in the natural sciences, philosophy and astrology. Divided into 10 parts, ‘Metaphysica’ examines hundreds of subjects – spanning philosophy, theology, logic and natural science – such as the meaning of metaphysics, the difference between art and science, the theory of truth, the nature of the intellect, the principle of distinction, syllogisms, the nature of sensitive matter and form, ‘potentia’ and ‘actus’, singularity and quantity, and substance. ‘Metaphysica’ ‘relies heavily on both Averroes in his “Long Commentary on the Metaphysics” and Avicenna’s “Philosophia prima”. While the commentary of Averroes is an almost literal analysis of the text of Aristotle, Avicenna’s analysis often departs from this literal approach and incorporates ideas that Avicenna found in Aristotle’s “Posterior Analytics”. Albert seems to be using Averroes when he is paraphrasing Aristotle’s text, but relies on Avicenna when he departs from the paraphrasing. As a result of this usage Albert proceeds to develop his own ideas of first philosophy’ (Stan. Enc. Phil.). Albertus Magnus exercised a great influence on Thomas Aquinas, as well as on early modern philosophy, medicine, and natural science, well into the C17.