Inspirational Quotes by William of Ockham (English Philosopher, Polemicist)

William of Occam or Ockham (c.1285–c.1349,) nicknamed Venerabilis Inceptor (Latin: “Venerable Enterpriser,”) or Doctor Invincibilis (“Invincible Doctor,”) was an English theologian, Franciscan friar, scholastic philosopher, and polemicist. A major figure in the history of philosophy and a defender of nominalism, he is known for the maxim called ‘Occam’s razor.’

Born in Ockham, Surrey, William entered the Franciscan order, studied, and taught philosophy at Oxford until 1324. He was summoned to Avignon by Pope John XXII to answer charges of heresy. He became involved in a theological dispute about Franciscan poverty, which the Pope had denounced on doctrinal grounds.

William of Occam took refuge in Bavaria in 1328 when the Pope excommunicated him. William remained under the protection of Emperor Louis of Bavaria until 1347. William died in Munich, possibly of the Black Death, the Plague epidemic that reached its peak in Europe 1347–51.

William of Occam published many works on logic while at Oxford and Avignon, notably the Summa Logicae (1323; ‘Sum of Logic,’) Quodlibeta Septem (1327, ‘Quodlibetal Questions,’) and commentaries on the Sentences of theologian Peter Lombard and many expositions of Aristotle. William also published several important political treatises 1333–47, generally targeted against the papal claims to civil authority, including the Octo quaestiones de potestate papae (1340–41, ‘Eight Questions on the Authority of the Pope’) and the Opus nonaginta dierum (1332–34, ‘Work of 90 Days.’)

William of Occam’s best-known philosophical contributions of nominalist philosophy saw God as beyond human powers of reasoning, and things as provable only by experience or by scriptural authority. His well-known philosophical principle of ‘Occam’s razor’ argues that explanations should be examined thoroughly and unnecessary assumptions stripped away.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by William of Ockham