Religion
In reply to the discussion: Of COURSE atheism is a religion, they believe in "nothing"! [View all]starroute
(12,977 posts)Though it took an Irishman to realize it.
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/scottus-eriugena/
Johannes (c.800 - c.877), who signed himself as Eriugena in one manuscript, and who was referred to by his contemporaries as the Irishman (scottus in the 9th century Ireland was referred to as Scotia Maior and its inhabitants as scotti) is the most significant Irish intellectual of the early monastic period. . . .
Immediately following on his abrupt announcement of the four divisions of nature, Eriugena proceeds to list five ways of interpreting (quinque modi interpretationis) the manner in which things may be said to be or not to be (Periphyseon, I.443c-446a). According to the first mode, things accessible to the senses and the intellect are said to be, whereas anything which, through the excellence of its nature (per excellentiam suae naturae), transcends our faculties are said not to be. According to this classification, God, because of his transcendence is said not to be. He is nothingness through excellence (nihil per excellentiam).