William of Champeaux (c.1070–1121)

French philosopher, born at Champeaux. One of most notable exponents of scholasticism he set up a school of logic in Paris that was attended by Peter Abelard. In 1113 he was made bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne.

In the debate that took place in the 12th century among scholastic philosophers, or ‘schoolmen’, about the nature of universals, William of Champeaux claimed that they had a real existence. He was opposed by his former pupil Abelard, who maintained that they only existed in the mind (a position known as conceptualism).