This book is a concise introduction to the development of medieval thought. Specifically it discusses the thinkers themselves and the institutions that birthed them. The main word to keep in mind here is that this an "overview" of medieval thought.
Still, making your way through it requires considerable intellectual work. Knowles gives you a page or two of biographical summary (easy going) followed by three or four pages of text about the particular thinkers' attempt to square neo-platonism with Christian aristotlianism.
That aside, the basic evolution is clear, with the high point coming in the thirteenth century as the complete works of Aristotle were rediscovered and absorbed by various thinkers, leading up to the work of Thomas Aquinas. Thereafter, there was a retreat from the project of synthesizing theology with philosophy.
Still, making your way through it requires considerable intellectual work. Knowles gives you a page or two of biographical summary (easy going) followed by three or four pages of text about the particular thinkers' attempt to square neo-platonism with Christian aristotlianism.
That aside, the basic evolution is clear, with the high point coming in the thirteenth century as the complete works of Aristotle were rediscovered and absorbed by various thinkers, leading up to the work of Thomas Aquinas. Thereafter, there was a retreat from the project of synthesizing theology with philosophy.
