Transforming knowledge by editing texts: the Auctores Britannici Medii Aevi and medieval British university philosophy

Abstract

Editing texts is an activity fundamental to research in the history of philosophy, but individual editions, however important, rarely transform knowledge. It is argued here, however, that, taken as a whole, the British Academy�s Auctores Britannici Medii Aevi series does have this transformative effect. The project is reaching a new understanding of an important, but often neglected, area of the history of philosophy. After a brief survey of the British philosophers and theologians of the 13th and 14th century, the character of the series is described, and it is shown that it has a well-defined focus, and brings valuable but neglected philosophical material to light and explores distinctive themes. It is also argued that there is another side to this transformation, through methodological innovation in editing, as illustrated in the series.