Roscellinus (c. 1050–1125) - Icon Profile | Alexandria
Roscellinus of Compiègne (c. 1050–1125) was a French philosopher and canon, most famously known as the father of nominalism. Living during the high Middle Ages, he profoundly influenced both scholastic theology and the philosophy of language. His controversial stance on the non-reality of universals ignited fierce debates within both ecclesiastical and academic circles.
Originally a teacher in the cathedral schools of France, Roscellinus’s teachings gained traction among younger scholars eager to challenge traditional metaphysics. He rejected the dominant realist views of Plato and Augustine, instead arguing that only individuals exist, and universals are just convenient linguistic labels. This position, later dubbed "nominalism," placed him in direct opposition to Anselm of Canterbury and other realists of the period.
Roscellinus's ideas became notorious when he applied nominalist logic to Christian theology, suggesting that the persons of the Trinity were separate substances unless merely distinguished by name. This led to charges of tritheism and forced him to recant under threat of excommunication at the Synod of Soissons around 1092.
Despite condemnation, Roscellinus's thought endured and deeply influenced future thinkers like Peter Abelard and William of Ockham. His redefinition of universals laid the groundwork for later developments in logic, semantics, and analytic philosophy.