Durandus of St Pourçain (1275?–1334)

Although strongly Aristotelian in outlook, Durandus rejected certain classic points of Thomist doctrine such as the speculative ‘scientific’ and unique nature of theology, the theory of the active intellect and the doctrine of species. After carrying out a detailed examination of the Thomist theses, Durandus decided firmly in favour of theology being faith in revelation, something aenigmatica and therefore meritorious. In this way, in the opinion of some modern scholars, he anticipated the position of William of Ockham; the position later known as ‘Ockham’s razor’ appears more than once in his writings.