Medieval philosophy is a term used to refer to the philosophy that existed during the Middle Ages, the period extending from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century to the Renaissance in the fifteenth century.
Medieval thought forms were based on medieval philosophy.
Where the principles that underlie all the medieval philosophers' work are:
The use of logic, dialectic, and analysis to discover the truth, known as ratio;
Respect for the insights of ancient philosophers, in particular Aristotle, and deference to their authority.
The obligation to co-ordinate the insights of philosophy with theological teaching and revelation.
One of the most heavily debated topics of the period was that of faith versus reason. Avicenna and Averroes both leaned more on the side of reason. Augustine stated that he would never allow his philosophical investigations to go beyond the authority of God. Anselm attempted to defend against what he saw as partly an assault on faith, with an approach allowing for both faith and reason. The Augustinian solution to the faith/reason problem is to believe, and then seek to understand.
