Richard Rufus Project

FAIN: RQ-50551-11

Trustees of Indiana University (Bloomington, IN 47405-7000)
Rega Wood (Project Director: November 2010 to June 2016)

Preparation for online and print publication of the 13th-century philosopher Richard Rufus' Scriptum in Metaphysicam Aristotelis and Memoriale in Metaphysicam Aristotelis. (36 months)

Richard Rufus introduced the teaching of Aristotle's metaphysics and natural philosophy at Paris, the center of the 13th-century western intellectual world. Rufus not only outlined Aristotle's arguments, but also challenged Aristotle. In so doing he influenced the great Scholastic philosophers who followed him. Rufus' influence can be seen, for example, in Roger Bacon's and Bonaventure's arguments against Aristotle and for a beginning of the universe, in Albert the Great's discussion of the problem of universals, and in John Duns Scotus' theory of individuation and in his concept of formal distinction. RRP first published Rufus' exciting lectures in 2003 with the British Academy, after they had been lost for 600 years. In 2006 we began also publishing critical editions online, starting with his lectures on psychology. In 2011-2014 we will complete most of his second, circa 1238 metaphysics commentary and post the Redactio brevior version of his Scriptum in Metaphysicam Aristotelis on our website.