A Complete Course Of Philosophy According To The Mind Of Scotus - Metaphysics, Part II, Volume V - Bartolomeo Mastri

This fifth volume continues Mastri’s treatment of metaphysics, building upon the foundational principles established in the previous book. Within the Scotist tradition of John Duns Scotus, it advances from general notions of being to more detailed analysis of metaphysical structures and relations.

The work explores deeper questions concerning causality, the degrees and modes of being, and the hierarchy of finite substances. It further develops Scotist distinctions—especially formal distinctions—to clarify how different aspects of reality can be understood within a unified ontological framework without collapsing into mere abstraction.

Mastri also treats key topics in natural theology and metaphysical psychology, including the properties of immaterial beings and the principles underlying intellective substances. Throughout, he maintains a rigorous scholastic method, aiming to show how metaphysics provides the ultimate explanatory foundation for both natural philosophy and all scientific knowledge.

This volume thus continues the ascent into increasingly abstract and universal principles, preparing the ground for the final systematic developments of Scotist metaphysics in the course.