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Article: Peter Abelard
- Article from:
- The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
CopyrightThe Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright 2008 Columbia University Press. (Hide copyright information)
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Peter Abelard , Fr.
Pierre Abélard
, 1079-1142, French philosopher and teacher, b. Le Pallet, near Nantes.
Life
Abelard went (c.1100) to Paris to study under
William of Champeaux
at the school of Notre Dame and soon attacked the ultrarealist position of his master with such success that William was forced to modify his teaching. Abelard became master at Notre Dame but, when deprived of his place, set himself up (1112) at a school on Mont-Ste-Geneviève, just outside the city walls. Abelard's fame as a dialectician attracted great numbers of students to Paris. This part of his career was cut short by his romance with
Heloise,
d. c.1164, the learned niece of Fulbert, ...