Antoine Arnauld

Antoine Arnauld , born with Paris in 1612, deceased with Brussels, the August 8th 1694, called Large Arnauld by its contemporaries to distinguish it from his father, is a priest, Théologie N, Philosophe and Mathématicien French, one of the main leaders of file of the Jansenists and an opponent of the Jésuites at the 17th century.

Biography

Twentieth and more young child of Antoine Arnauld, of a family of Parisian magistrates, he was the brother of Angélique and Agnès Arnauld, abbesses of Port-Royal.

He in the beginning was intended for the bar, but decided to study theology in Sorbonne. He obtained there greatest successes and its career promised to be brilliant when the influence of Saint-Cyran attracted it towards jansénisme. Its book, Of the frequent Communion (1643), was a big step to return the goals and the understandable ideals of this movement to the general public. This publication attracted as well enemies to him as it was forced to hide and during more than twenty years, did not dare any more to show itself in public in Paris.

During this time, he wrote innumerable booklets in favor of jansénisme. In 1655 two Letters with a duke and par on the methods of the Jesuits in the confessional were worth to him to be expelled of the Sorbonne. It was the origin of the Provinciales of Blaise Pascal. Pascal, however, could not save his friend; in February 1656, Arnauld was solemnly degraded. Twelve years later the “Paix clementine” put an end to its troubles; it was pleasantly accepted by Louis XIV and was almost treated as hero by the people.

It was put then at work with Pierre Nicole on a great work against the calvinists: the perpetuity of the faith of the Catholic church touching the eucharistie . Ten years later, however, persecution against the Jansenists began again. Arnauld was constrained to leave France for the Netherlands, settling finally in Brussels. It spent there the sixteen last years of its life to be discussed inlassablement of controversy with the Jésuites, the Calvinistes and the heretics of any kind.

A theologist, philosopher and mathematician

The inexhaustible energy of Antoine Arnauld arises perfectly in his famous answer to Nicole, who complained to be tired. “Tired! Arnauld retorted, when you have all eternity to put back you? ” It did not limit its energy to the study of the purely theological questions. It was one of the first to adopt the philosophy of Descartes, though with certain reserves in the field of orthodoxy; and between 1683 and 1685 it engaged a long battle with Malebranche on the relations of the Théologie and the Métaphysique. As a whole the public opinion leant side of Arnauld. When Malebranche had complained that its adversary had badly included/understood it, Boileau closed the mouth with this question to him: “Dear Sir, who according to you could include/understand you when Mr. Arnauld doesn't arrive there? ”

With Pierre Nicole, he was the author of logic or art to think , fundamental work in the history of this discipline, marked by the influence of the Cartésianisme and which was used as elementary handbook until the 20th century.

Arnauld was also regarded as one of the large mathematicians of its time; a critic called it the Euclide 17th century. After its death, its reputation in this field started to drop. Its contemporaries especially admired it like a Master in the complex reasoning; on top, Bossuet, the largest theologist of its time, agrees with of Aguesseau, the largest lawyer. However, its heat to want to carry it each time he argued made that he was liked of nobody. “In spite of me, known as one Arnauld day with regrets, it is rare that my books are very short. ”

Today, the name of Arnauld survives in the famous epitaph that Boileau devoted to its memory:

With the foot of this furnace bridge of structure grossière
Gît without pump, locked up in cheap a bière
Le more erudite mortal who never has écrit.

“Everyone is appropriate that no writer of the 17th century had been born with a more philosophical and wider spirit” will say Pierre Larousse in this connection.

Principal works of Antoine Arnauld

The bonds return to the versions digitized of these titles on Gallica.

Of the frequent communion where the sentimens of the fathers, the popes and the Councils, concerning the use of the sacremens of penitence and Eucharistie, are accurately expose. Paris: A. Glazed, 1643. Text on line: * general and reasoned Grammar: containing the fondemens art of speaking, explained in a clear and natural way . Paris: Prault wire the elder one, 1754. Text on line: * logic or art to think: containing in addition to the common rules, several observations new, suitable to form the judgment . Paris: G. Desprez, 1683. Text on line:

External bond

Arnauld in its intellectual context (in English)

Partial source

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