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Work #1062 · Late-mature

Cur Deus Homo

Anselm of Canterbury
c. 1094-98 · Latin
Philosophical dialogue · Medieval Latin theology / scholasticism

Why God became man — Anselm's rational argument for the necessity of the Incarnation, founding text of satisfaction theory of atonement

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Cur Deus Homo (Late-mature)
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Substantival
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Linear
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Uni-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Substantival
Space · Curvature Flat
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Local
Matter · Extent Infinite
Matter · Ontological Status Substantival
Matter · Conservation Conserved
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Local
Observer · Time Instance Single
Observer · Space Instance Single
Observer · Knowledge Extent Partial
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Embodied
Observer · Agency Both
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Personal
Observer · Moral Authority Scripture
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Substantival
Energy · Conservation Conserved
Energy · Dispersibility Irreversible
Information · Ontological Status Substantival
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Conserved
Information · Granularity Discrete

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Cur Deus Homo

Eternity of divine debt; historical Incarnation as response.

Space

Cur Deus Homo

Divine-human ontological space.

Matter

Cur Deus Homo

The God-man — embodied divinity.

Observer

Cur Deus Homo

The rational believer following Anselm's argument.

Energy

Cur Deus Homo

The infinite divine satisfaction the Incarnation accomplishes.

Information

Cur Deus Homo

The systematic argument from necessity.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Cur Deus Homo

Satisfaction-atonement theology has been criticised (Abelard's exemplarist alternative, modern liberal theologians, feminist theologians) for its juridical framework; the Eastern Orthodox tradition has never accepted it. Continuing debate.