It is temptingly easy to jump
from the classical Greek philosophy
of Plato and Aristotle to the early
modern philosophy of Bacon, Descartes,
Locke, Hume, etc., and overlook
not only Hellenistic philosophy
but also what is called medieval
philosophy, i.e., the philosophy
done from approximately the fourth
century to the early sixteenth
century. But should we? In many
ways what is called the western
tradition it may be necessary to
understand philosophy done during
the Medieval period as well as
the historical forces at work at
the time.
