 Oxford School:

The Oxford Franciscan School is the name given to a group of medieval academics at the
University of Oxford, linked to the Franciscan order, within the framework of late scholasticism.
Dedicated to various branches of knowledge, such as philosophy and theology, they are
especially known for their contributions in logic, mathematics and physics. During the 14th
century they introduced mathematical interpretation into Aristotelian physics, and proposed
new questions and problems, anticipating those dealt with more appropriately by modern
science.

They developed studies of semantics, logic and physics following an Ockhamist direction and,
together with other authors of the Paris school, formed the nominalist movement . Unlike
their contemporaries from the Paris school, they cultivated mathematics more than physical
issues and referred little to experience, hence the name calculators that was applied to them.

They made a great contribution to the development of science and scientific methodology, in
the context of the 13th and 14th centuries of Western Europe.

Members:

Roberto Grosseteste is usually identified as the founder of this school (1175-1253). Among the
most illustrious names of this school we can mention:
 Roger Bacon

 Scoto Duns

 William Ockham
 Already in 1200 there was an embryonic university organization in Oxford,
although it was not until 1214 that the first papal statutes were granted,
complemented by royal charters (with their institutions of chancellor, procurators
of nations, "congregations" of teachers, etc.), becoming independent. , therefore,
of the local authorities, both civil and ecclesiastical.
 The two main ways of founding a university in the Middle Ages, apart from the
already seen a posteriori sanction of an institution already constituted by itself,
were the so-called "swarming" or the establishment of such an institution by the
decision of an authority. ecclesiastical or civil.

  Nominalism:
 It is a philosophical doctrine according to which everything that exists is particular. This
is usually stated in opposition to those who maintain that universals or abstract entities
exist.
 Nominalism denies, therefore, that universals can subsist as prior or independent
realities, placed in things or outside them, and - to the extent that it tends to consider
only concrete individualities as real - it questions the same. possibility of universal
concepts.
 The term nominalism was used by historians of philosophy to indicate a particular
solution to the dispute about universals, which persisted during the 12th century among
scholastic thinkers; However, the problem of universals represents one of the constant
questions in the history of philosophy; The first debate between nominalist and realist
 solutions took place between the sophists (Gorgias and Antisthenes) and the Platonic
school. In the field of ancient philosophy, the main contribution to the development of
nominalism is due to the Stoic school with the definition of the meaning of terms - a
meaning that is distinguished from simple sensible sound - as something abstract,
incorporeal, that does not properly exist. talking.
 In medieval thought the problem arose again with the study of the isagoge of Porphyry
(232-303), in which the problems of the real existence of genera and species, whether
It is about corporeal or incorporeal entities, whether or not they are separated from
sensible things. In the field of nominalist solutions, the most extreme position is the one
commonly attributed to Roscelino (+ 1125), which is difficult to interpret given the
limited nature of the reports we have about him and the cloud of controversies he
aroused. Roscelino would have maintained that universals are pure names, flatus
vocis, while true, concrete reality belongs only to the individuals we know. A more
moderate form of nominalism is that held by Abelard (1079-1142), whose doctrine
presents, however, quite complex aspects that have led some historians to deny the
classification of nominalist.
 The positions of Roscelin and Abelard provoked strong reactions from the
ecclesiastical authorities, who feared the negative consequences that these ideas
could have on theological content.
 Indeed, there was a risk that nominalist doctrines would empty the key terms of
Christian theology and metaphysics of ontological density; In particular, nominalism
endorsed the tritheistic heresy, which was in fact defended by Roscelin.
 The positive aspects of the various positions on universals found a harmonious
synthesis in the moderate realism of Saint Thomas, but then, in the late Scholasticism,
nominalism regained vigor with the logic of Occam's terms. The union between
nominalist and empiricist tendencies in Occam's thought resulted in an accentuation of
the separation between logical-philosophical thought and the contents of faith, and his
philosophical approach exerted a decisive influence on subsequent thought.
 In modern philosophy, nominalism was supported with various accentuations by
Hobbes (1588-1679), Locke (1632-1704) and more radically by Berkeley (1685-1753),
who denied the very existence of general and abstract ideas, affirming that there are
only particular ideas, expressed by common names. Thus, the empiricist current,
reducing the concept or idea to being a sensitive image, always individual, leads to a
more radical denial of universal concepts.
 Finally, in contemporary thought nominalism has been proposed again in the
neopositivist program of a radical reform of logic that, by resolving general or abstract
terms into ultimate, individual elements, believes that it is possible to definitively
overcome metaphysical "pseudo problems." . In this neo-empiricist program, the anti-
metaphysical potentialities of nominalism that progressively emerged throughout
modern philosophy find full expression.

 Oxford University

 The University of Oxford , located in the city of Oxford (United Kingdom), is the
oldest university in the English-speaking world.
 

 History
 The date of the university's founding is unknown, and perhaps it did not exist as a
concrete event, but there is evidence of teaching activities as early as 1096. When
Henry II of England banned British students from attending the University of Paris
in 1167, Oxford began to grow rapidly. The founding of the first residences, which
later became a university, dates from that time onwards. Following the murder of
two students accused of rape in 1209, the University was dissolved. On 20 June
1214, he returned to Oxford University with a letter of acceptance negotiated by
Nicholas of the Roma, papal delegate.
 The main rival of the University of Oxford is the University of Cambridge, founded
shortly afterwards. Both institutions are familiar with the Oxbridge motto.
Cambridge is considered superior in science subjects, although this is not always
 the case, while Oxford is considered superior in theology and humanities, which is
not so true. Both universities are members of the Russell Group of British research
universities.
 Organization
 Oxford is a collegiate university, made up of central facilities, such as departments
and faculties, libraries and science centres, and 39 colleges (in English colleges)
and 7 permanent private halls (PPHs). All teachers and students must belong to
one of the schools (or PPHs). These schools are not only residential houses, but
they have important responsibilities in the education of undergraduate and
graduate students. Some schools only accept graduate students. Only one of the
schools, St. Hilda's, is single-sex, and only accepts women (although many of the
religious PPHs are for men only).
 The Oxford collegiate system has its origins in the University and came into
existence through the gradual agglomeration of independent institutions in the
city of Oxford. (See also Oxford University colleges and list of Cambridge sister
colleges.)
 In addition to the collegiate level of organization, the university is divided into
departments according to areas, like many other universities. Departments play an
important role in postgraduate, and increasingly undergraduate, education,
offering classes and organizing lectures and assessments. Departments are also
research centres, with financial support from external institutions including major
research councils, whilst colleges have an interest in research, most are not
specialists in any area in organizational terms.
 The main legislative body of the university is the Congregation (Congregation, in
English), which is the assembly of all academics who teach at the university.
Another body, the convocation (in English convocation), covers all university
graduates, and is the main legislative body of the university. Until 1949, the
Convention elected two members of parliament to the University. Now you have
very limited functions, among which you have to choose the Chancellor of the
University (largely symbolic title). The last election was held in 2003, when Chris
Patten was elected.
 The executive body of the university is the University Council. This consists of the
Vice-Chancellor (Dr John Hood), heads of department and other members elected
by the congregation, as well as observers from the Students' Union. In addition to
the current Congregation House, there is also a former Congregation House, which
somehow survived renovations in the 19th century and is today only used for
granting degrees.
 The academic year is divided into three periods, each eight weeks long. The
Michaelmas period runs from the beginning of October to December; Hilary
normally runs from January to before Easter, and Trinity runs from after Easter to
June. These are the shortest terms of any British university, and the workload is
intense.