Jean Buridan
Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [1]
a famous French nominalist of the' 14th century, was born at Bethune, in Artois. In 1310 he went to Paris, where he attached himself to the famous Occam (q.v.). In 1327 he was rector of the Paris; University, and was one of the delegates who went to the pope at Avignon. After the ascendency of the realists over the nominalists, he went to Vienna, where he died after 1358. Buridan was one of the most vigorous adherents to the principles of his teacher Occam, which he carried in all its conclusions. His main works are Summa seu Summula de Dialectica and Compendiun Logicce (Paris, 1500, 1516, 1578; Oxford, 1637, 1640, 1641). See Bulseus, Hist. Univ. Paris, vol. iv; Fabricius, Bibl. Lat. Med. AEvi; Haureau, Philos. Scolast. ii, 483; Lichtenberger, Encyclopgdie des Sciences Religieuses, s.v. (B. P.)
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [2]
A scholastic doctor of the 14th century, born in Artois, and famous as the reputed author, though there is no evidence of it in his works, of the puzzle of the hungry and thirsty ass, called after him Buridan's Ass, between a bottle of hay and a pail of water, a favourite illustration of his in discussing the freedom of the will.
