The Existence and Nature of God in Duns Scotus’s De Primo Principio

Latin Text with Grammatical Notes and Philosophical and Theological Commentary

By: Michael Potts

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The Existence and Nature of God in Duns Scotus’s De Primo Principio offers students, scholars, and readers of theology and philosophy a unique guide through one of the most subtle works of medieval Scholasticism. John Duns Scotus, the “Subtle Doctor,” presents a rigorous version of the cosmological argument for God’s existence, followed by an unfolding of the divine attributes—necessity, simplicity, infinity, intelligence, will, goodness, and freedom.

Michael Potts provides not only the original Latin text of key passages from De Primo Principio but also detailed grammatical notes that help readers engage the Latin itself. Alongside these notes are philosophical and theological commentaries that illuminate Scotus’s arguments, showing how they build step by step toward the personal God of Christian faith.

This volume is designed both for those beginning to read Scholastic Latin and for students of medieval thought seeking to grasp Scotus’s distinct approach to metaphysics and theology. Clear explanations of complex grammar, logical analysis of arguments, and careful commentary make this work accessible without sacrificing rigor.

A valuable resource for language learners, philosophers, and theologians alike, this book invites readers to wrestle with one of the most subtle and intellectually rigorous medieval explorations of God’s existence and nature—and to do so in Scotus’s own words.