52-607: John Mair may refer to: John Mair (philosopher) (1467–1550, also called John Major), Scottish philosopher and historian John Mair (journalist) , British journalist and academic John Mair (architect) (1876–1959), New Zealand government architect (1923–1941) John Mair (athlete) (born 1963), Jamaican sprinter See also [ edit ] John Maire (1703–1771), English Roman Catholic conveyancer John Major (disambiguation) John Mayer (disambiguation) John Meier (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by
104-455: A European audience as opposed to the Scots Andrew wrote for his aristocratic Scots patrons. Although the documentary evidence available to Major was limited, his scholarly approach was adopted and improved by later historians of Scotland , including his pupil Hector Boece , and John Lesley . In 1506 he was awarded a doctorate in theology by Paris where he began to teach and progress through
156-617: A Tuath ) is a seaside town and former royal burgh in East Lothian , Scotland . It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth , approximately 20 miles (32 km) east-northeast of Edinburgh . North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the nineteenth century because of its two sandy bays, the East (or Milsey) Bay and the West Bay, and continues to attract holidaymakers. Golf courses at
208-520: A compliment. His interests ranged across the burning issues of the day. His approach largely followed Nominalism which was in tune with the growing emphasis on the absolutely unconstrained nature of God, which in turn emphasised his grace and the importance of individual belief and submission. His humanist approach was in tune with the return to the texts in the original languages of the Scriptures and classical authors. He emphasised that authority lay with
260-627: A patent of naturalisation, making him a naturalised subject of France. In 1533 he was made Provost of St Salvator's College in the University of St Andrews – to which thronged many of the most significant men in Scotland, including John Knox and George Buchanan . He missed Paris – "When I was in Scotland, I often thought how I would go back to Paris and give lectures as I used to and hear disputations". He died in 1550 (perhaps on 1 May), his works read throughout Europe, his name honoured everywhere, just as
312-462: A student – there are no matriculation records of him and he claimed never to have seen the university town of St Andrews , Fife as a young man (though he did complain later of its bad beer). He seems to have decided to prepare for Paris at Cambridge in England. He says that in 1492 he attended "Gods House", which later became Christ's College . He remembers the bells – "on great feast days, I spent half
364-605: A subsidiary company run by Lothian Buses, runs a twice-hourly service between Edinburgh (Semple Street) to North Berwick Tesco via Portobello, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Longniddry, Aberlady, Gullane and Dirleton. The bus in North Berwick runs on a loop from the High Street (Church Street bus stop) to the Tesco Terminus and back, then returns to Edinburgh. There are also local services to Haddington , Dunbar and attractions such as
416-531: Is an occasional service through to Glasgow Central station on weekdays, although anyone heading for central Glasgow is advised to switch to the Edinburgh – Glasgow Queen St. service. There is a regular bus service (nos 124 and X24 ) between the town and Edinburgh city centre. Edinburgh Airport is the nearest airport, not just to North Berwick but the whole county, and is approximately a 45-minute drive away, or around 1 hour 20 mins by public transport. East Coast Buses,
468-605: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages John Mair (philosopher) John Major (or Mair ; also known in Latin as Joannes Majoris and Haddingtonus Scotus ; 1467–1550) was a Scottish philosopher, theologian, and historian who was much admired in his day and was an acknowledged influence on all the great thinkers of the time. A renowned teacher, his works were much collected and frequently republished across Europe. His "sane conservatism" and his sceptical , logical approach to
520-571: Is no surprise that he became the Principal of the University of Glasgow . In 1523 left for the University of St Andrews where he was assessor to the Dean of Arts. In 1525 he went again to Paris from where he returned in 1531 eventually to become Provost of St Salvator's College, St Andrews until his death in 1550, aged about eighty three. One of his most notable students was John Knox (coincidentally, another native of Haddington) who said of Major that he
572-506: Is served by North Berwick railway station . The North Berwick Line has provided a rail link with Edinburgh since 17 June 1850 and the line, now operated by ScotRail , is still the principal transit link between the town and the capital. The service takes 33 minutes and runs hourly with extra trains during peak commuting periods and on Saturdays. Combination rail-and-entry tickets for the Scottish Seabird Centre are available. There
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#1732855687806624-503: The Bass Rock castle ) erected a stone tower with a barmkin on the site; however they had abandoned it by 1420 in favour of the Bass, possibly as a result of conflict with the owners of nearby Tantallon Castle. In the fourteenth century the town became a baronial burgh under William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas , who then built nearby Tantallon Castle to consolidate his power. Later, during
676-494: The National Museum of Flight at East Fortune. Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) spent many holidays in the town during his childhood and as a young man. His father, Thomas Stevenson the engineer and lighthouse builder, took his family to stay in various locations in the town. The island of Fidra is said to be the original inspiration for Treasure Island , and much of his novel Catriona (the sequel to Kidnapped )
728-672: The Roman Catholic Church (though he did envisage a national church for Scotland). Major also filled with enthusiasm other Scottish Reformers including the Protestant martyr Patrick Hamilton and the Latin stylist George Buchanan , whose enthusiasm for witty Latinisms had him waspishly suggesting that the only thing major about his ex-teacher was his surname – typical Renaissance disdain for the Schoolmen . Major and his circle were interested in
780-490: The Spanish ) can be traced across the centuries and appear decidedly modern, and it is only in the modern age that he is not routinely dismissed as a scholastic . His Latin style did not help – he thought that "it is of more moment to understand aright, and clearly to lay down the truth of any matter than to use eloquent language". Nevertheless, it is to his writings, including their dedications, that we owe much of our knowledge of
832-594: The nominalist and empiricist approach of John Buridan . (The latter's influence on Copernicus and Galileo can be traced through Major's published works). He became a student master ('regent') in Arts in the Collège de Montaigu in 1496 and began the study of theology under the formidable Jan Standonck . He consorted with scholars of later renown, some from his hometown, Robert Walterston , and his home country ( David Cranston of Glasgow , who died in 1512), but mostly they were
884-584: The 18th and 19th century Scottish School of Common Sense initiated by Thomas Reid . The highly logical and technical approach of Medieval philosophy – perhaps added to by Major's poor written style as well as his adherence to the Catholic party at the time of the Reformation – explain in some part why this influence is still somewhat occluded. More obviously influential was his moral philosophy , not primarily because of his casuistry – an approach acknowledging
936-452: The High Street was the main street in the medieval burgh, rather than Quality Street that had been hypothesized. Excavations have shown that from as early as the eighth century, a ferry crossing to Earlsferry , near Elie in Fife was in existence, serving pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Saint Andrew . North Berwick Harbour was built in the twelfth century to meet the demands made of
988-492: The King's defeat at Sauchieburn which was in 1488. However, it was in 1490, he reports, that he "first left the paternal hearth". In 1490, probably under the influence of Robert Cockburn , another Haddington man, destined to be an influential bishop (of Ross and later of Dunkeld ), he decided to go to Paris to study among the great numbers of Scots there at the time. It is not known whether he attended university in Scotland as
1040-499: The MSP for East Lothian since 2021 . There are three councillors for North Berwick Coastal. There are several churches in the town. These include: North Berwick is served by Law Primary School, and North Berwick High School for secondary school-age children, which has an excellent reputation, frequently outperforming other East Lothian district schools in annual examination tables. Films which have shots of North Berwick include: The town
1092-700: The University of Glasgow (and also canon of the cathedral , vicar of Dunlop and Treasurer of the Chapel Royal). He returned to Paris several times – by sea one time, getting delayed in Dieppe for three weeks by a storm; and by land another time, having dinner en route through England with his friend, Cardinal Wolsey . He offered Major a post, which he declined, in his new college at the University of Oxford , to be called Cardinal's College, (later Christ Church, Oxford ). In 1528, King Francis I of France issued Major with
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#17328556878061144-456: The area in the form of several Iron Age Cist burials. One of the largest excavations occurred when many of the water mains in the town were replaced in the 2000s and archaeologists monitored the work. These excavations found the first evidence of the city walls - all towns of Scotland on the east coast were required by an Act of Parliament (1503) to build walls, but until then there was no evidence that they were ever built. It also found that
1196-653: The complexity of individual cases. This was later so strong in Jesuit teaching, possibly related to the Major's renown in Spain mentioned above. His legal views were also influential. His Commentaries on the Sentences of Peter Lombard was most certainly studied and quoted in the debates at Burgos in 1512, by Frày Anton Montesino , a graduate of Salamanca . This " debate unique in the history of empires ", as Hugh Thomas calls it, resulted in
1248-594: The early parts of the seventeenth century. It included Francisco de Vitoria , Cano , de Domingo de Soto and Bartolomé de Medina , each one thorough soaked in Mairian enthusiasms. Major wrote in his Commentary on the Sentences of Peter Lombard "Our native soil attracts us with a secret and inexpressible sweetness and does not permit us to forget it". He returned to Scotland in 1518. Given his success and experience in Paris, it
1300-568: The ends of each bay are open to visitors. The name Berwick means "barley farmstead" ( bere in Old English means "barley" and wic means "farmstead"). Alternatively, like other place names in Scotland ending in 'wick', this word means 'bay' (Old Norse: vík). The word North was applied to distinguish this Berwick from Berwick-upon-Tweed , which throughout the Middle Ages the Scots called South Berwick. It
1352-556: The everyday facts of Major's life – for example his "shortness of stature". He was an extremely curious and very observant man, and used his experiences – of earthquakes in Paisley , thunder in Glasgow , storms at sea, eating oatcakes in northern England – to illustrate the more abstract parts of his logical writings. John Major (or 'Mair') was born about 1467 at Gleghornie, East Lothian near North Berwick where he received his early education. It
1404-568: The existing ferry trade. This ferry was recently reinstated; during the summer, a boat travels between North Berwick and Anstruther in Fife, in homage to the original ferry. Around 1150, Duncan, Earl of Fife of the Clan MacDuff founded an influential Cistercian nunnery (whose power continued until the Scottish Reformation , and its dissolution in 1588). Duncan's family shortly afterwards, at
1456-621: The fifteenth century, the town became a royal burgh in the reign of James I of Scotland . The "Auld Kirk Green" at the harbour was allegedly used for gatherings by the accused in the North Berwick Witch Trials (1590–92). Legend has it that Satan himself attended a ritual there in 1590. During the sixteenth century at least 70 people were implicated in the Witch Trials, and the events inspired works such as Burns' "Tam o' Shanter" and "The Thirteenth Member" by Mollie Hunter . One of
1508-446: The first time. In 1506 he was licensed to teach theology and was awarded the degree of Doctor of Sacred Theology on 11 November that year (coming 3rd in the listings). He taught at the Collège de Montaigu (where he was, temporarily joint Director) and also the prestigious Sorbonne , where he served on many commissions. In 1510 he discussed the moral and legal questions arising from the Spanish discovery of America . He claimed that
1560-457: The hierarchy, becoming for a brief period Rector . (Some 18 of his fellow Scots had held or were to hold this prestigious position). He was a renowned logician and philosopher. He is reported to have been a very clear and forceful lecturer, attracting students from all over Europe. In contrast, he had a rather dry, some said 'barbaric', written Latin style. He was referred to by Pierre Bayle as writing " in stylo Sorbonico ", not meaning this as
1612-541: The jawbone arch first erected atop the Law in 1709, suggest that the port was involved in the whaling industry, though there is little written evidence to prove it. If so, it would have been a minor participant in the industry, overshadowed by nearby Leith . Certainly, whales have washed ashore at North Berwick over the years, even in recent times. Despite the railway arriving in 1850, the Industrial Revolution bypassed
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1664-410: The leading thinkers of the day but most obviously to a group of Spanish thinkers, including Antonio Coronel, who taught John Calvin and very probably Ignatius of Loyola . In 1522, at Salamanca , Domingo de San Juan referred to him as " the revered master, John Mair, a man celebrated the world over ". The Salamanca school of (largely Thomist ) philosophers was a brilliant flowering of thought until
1716-796: The logical analysis of texts (including the Bible). "...these questions which the humanists think futile, are like a ladder for the intelligence to rise towards the Bible" (which he elsewhere, perhaps unwisely called "the easier parts of theology"). Nevertheless, in 1512, like a good humanist , he learned Greek from Girolamo Aleandro (who re-introduced the study of Greek to Paris) who wrote "Many scholastics are to be found in France who are keen students in different kinds of knowledge and several of these are among my faithful hearers, such as John Mair, Doctor of Philosophy..." In 1518 he returned to Scotland to become Principal of
1768-593: The luminaries of the age, including Erasmus , whose reforming enthusiasms he shared, Rabelais and Reginald Pole . In the winter of 1497 he had a serious illness, from which he never completely recovered. He had never had dreams before, but ever afterwards he was troubled by dreams, migraine , colic and "excessive sleepiness" (he was always hard to awaken). In 1499, he moved to the College of Navarre . In 1501, he received his degree of Bachelor of Sacred Theology and in 1505 his logical writings were collected and published for
1820-474: The most famous witch trials at North Berwick was that of Agnes Sampson . She was accused of making a potion to create rough storms in the North Sea as King James VI was sailing home from Denmark with his new wife, Anne of Denmark . The trial took place in 1591, attended by King James. Agnes Sampson was tortured to confess, and then burnt at the stake, like many other innocent people. Local lore, place names, and
1872-431: The natives had political and property rights that could not be invaded, at least not without compensation. He also uses the new discoveries to argue for the possibility of innovation in all knowledge saying "Has not Amerigo Vespucci discovered lands unknown to Ptolemy , Pliny and other geographers up to the present? Why cannot the same happen in other spheres?" At the same time, he was impatient of humanist criticism of
1924-583: The night listening to them" – but was obviously well-prepared, as he left for Paris after three terms. In 1493 he matriculated in the University of Paris , France, then the foremost University in Europe. He studied at the Collège Sainte-Barbe and took his Bachelor of Arts degree there in 1495 followed by his master's degree in 1496. There were many currents of thought in Paris but he was heavily influenced, as were fellow Scots such as Lawrence of Lindores by
1976-518: The recognition in Spanish law of the indigenous populations of America as being free human beings with all the rights (to liberty and property, for example) attached to them. This pronouncement was hedged in with many subtle qualifications, and the Spanish crown was never efficient at enforcing it, but it can be regarded as the fount of human rights law . North Berwick North Berwick ( / ˈ b ɛ r ɪ k / ; Scottish Gaelic : Bearaig
2028-403: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Mair&oldid=1227904784 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
2080-618: The start of the thirteenth century built North Berwick Castle erecting a wooden motte and bailey on the site of what is now Castle Hill in the east end of the town, at the start of Tantallon Terrace. This castle was attacked and held by the Earl of Pembroke around 1306; the English abandoned it by 1314, during the aftermath of the Battle of Bannockburn . Late in the fourteenth century the Lauder family (owners of
2132-525: The storms of the Reformation were about to sweep away, at least in his own country, any respect for his centuries-old methodology. His De Gestis Scotorum (Paris, 1521) was partly a patriotic attempt to raise the profile of his native country, but was also an attempt to clear away myth and fable, basing his history on evidence. In this, he was following in the footsteps of his predecessor, the Chronicler Andrew of Wyntoun , though writing in Latin for
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2184-587: The structures of language – spoken, written and 'mental'. This latter was the language which underlies the thoughts that are expressed in natural languages, like Scots , English or Latin . He attacks a whole range of questions from a generally 'nominalist' perspective – a form of philosophical discourse whose tradition derives from the high Middle Ages and was to continue into that of the Scottish and other European empiricists . According to Alexander Broadie , Major's influence on this latter tradition reached as far as
2236-481: The study of texts such as Aristotle or the Bible were less prized in the subsequent age of humanism , when a more committed and linguistic/literary approach prevailed. His influence in logic (especially the analysis of terms ), science ( impetus and infinitesimals ), politics (placing the people over kings), Church (councils over Popes), and international law (establishing the human rights of "savages" conquered by
2288-402: The town. The late-nineteenth century saw North Berwick develop golfing and holiday facilities. The town soon became popular as a home for Edinburgh commuters and retirees. The size and population of the town remained fairly steady until the 1970s, at which point housebuilding began in earnest around the periphery of the town, first to the south (1950s–70s), then in a series of major expansions to
2340-423: The west (1980s-present) along the line of the railway. There is talk of further developments focussing on "affordable housing", on the south side of the town. While the population has grown significantly but not truly "exploded", house prices have rocketed since the 1950s. North Berwick consistently appears at the top of national house price surveys, and like-for-like prices are comparable to Edinburgh. North Berwick
2392-664: The white plumage of seabirds, and their white guano , which cover much of its surface. The seabirds can be observed at close range through remote cameras operated from the Scottish Seabird Centre near the harbour. Kenny MacAskill of the Alba Party has served as the Member of Parliament for East Lothian since 2019 . Former East Lothian Council leader Paul McLennan of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has served as
2444-513: The whole church and not with the Pope. Similarly, he asserted that authority in a kingdom lay not with the king but with the people, who could retake their power from a delinquent king (a striking echo of the ringing Declaration of Arbroath 1320 confirming to the Pope the independence of the Scottish crown from that of England). It is not surprising that he emphasised the natural freedom of human beings. His influence extended through enthusiastic pupils to
2496-512: Was "the town which fostered the beginning of my studies, and in whose kindly embrace I was nourished as a novice with the sweetest milk of the art of grammar". He says he stayed in Haddington "to a pretty advanced age" and he remembers the sound of the King James III's bombardment of the nearby castle of Dunbar , which was in 1479. He also remembers the comet which was supposed to have foretold
2548-417: Was at nearby Haddington , East Lothian, Scotland, where he attended grammar school . He was probably taught by the town schoolmaster, who was, according to Major "although a circumspect man in other ways, more severe than was just in beating boys". If it had not been for the influence of his mother, Major says he would have left, but he and his brother stayed on and were successful. According to him, Haddington
2600-517: Was listed as the most expensive seaside town in Scotland in 2006, and was second to St. Andrews in 2009. In 2021, it was voted best place to live in Scotland. Several of the Islands of the Forth are near the town and visible from it: e.g. Fidra , Lamb , Craigleith , and the Bass Rock ; the last-named hosts a thriving colony of seabirds, including puffins and gannets . The Bass Rock appears white due to
2652-400: Was recorded as Northberwyk in 1250. On the south side of North Berwick Law there is evidence of at least 18 hut circles , rich middens and a field system dating from 2,000 years ago. There have been numerous archaeological excavations in the town that have uncovered evidence of North Berwick's medieval and modern remains. One such excavation found evidence of pre-medieval occupation of
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#17328556878062704-455: Was such as " whose work was then held as an oracle on the matters of religion " If this is not exactly a ringing endorsement, it is not hard to see in Knox's preaching an intense version of Major's enthusiasms – the utter freedom of God, the importance of the Bible, scepticism of earthly authority. It might be more surprising that Major preferred to follow his friend Erasmus 's example and remain within
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