184. John of Salisbury, Philosopher. -- In the Metalogicus John gives us the Platonic division of philosophy.^{1} The question of the Universals occupies a large place in his writings. It was no wonder, for in treating this question "the world had grown old, taking more time to solve it than the Caesars took to conqueror and govern the world".^{2} John gives us the same solution as Aristotle: an analysis of our abstract knowledge leads him to moderate realism.^{3} He adds, moreover, that we must not allow ourselves to grow white in the schools over this eternal question: there are many other domains to claim our attention: psychology especially, with the study of our psychic faculties and acts.

Sensation, he teaches, is a movement of the soul, anima pulsata sensibus,^{4} which brings us into conscious contact with the beings of sense, whilst intellectual knowledge attains to immaterial realities besides.^{5} All knowledge originates in the order of sense: ars sive scientia originem trahit a sensu.^{6} Certitude has its basis in the rationes aeternae.^{7} The dependence of the various powers of the soul upon one another is emphasized, especially the influence of the physiological functions on the higher, conscious activities of our being: the evidences of the tradition coming down from Constantine the African are manifest here. The soul is simple and immortal.^{8} These and other doctrines are not didactically developed but rather dropped incidentally here and there. Volumes would be needed, the author informs us, for an exhaustive study of the activities and nature of the soul.^{9} It is a pity he did not write a few!

John of Salisbury is occasionally a moralist. He discusses and condemns Epicurus and gives us a detailed analysis of the vices.^{10} He studies Divine Providence and Foreknowledge, which he endeavours to reconcile with human freedom.^{11} He has also written long chapters on the State, examining the theories of the ancients in reference thereto.^{12}

{1} ii., 2 and 5.

{2} "In qua laborans mundus jam senuir, in qua plus temporis consumptum est quam in acquirendo et regendo orbis imperio consumpserit Caesarea domus (Polycrat., vii., 12).

{3} Metal., ii., 20.

{4} Ibid., iv., 15.

{5} iv., 16.

{6} iv., 20.

{7} iv., 32 sqq.

{8} iv., 20.

{9} Ibid.

{10} Polycrat., vii.

{11} Ibid., ii., 20, 21.

{12} Ibid., iv., v. He studies Plutarch especially. Cf. 133, I, 3 (b), n. I.