Editing John Peckham (section)

==Early life==
Peckham came from a humble family, possibly from [[Patcham]] in East [[Sussex]].<ref name=Moorman159>Moorman ''Church Life'' p. 159</ref> He was born about 1230 and was educated at [[Lewes Priory]].<ref name=DNB>Thompson "Pecham, John" ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography''</ref> About 1250, he joined the [[Franciscans|Franciscan]] order at [[Oxford]].  He then went to the [[University of Paris]], where he studied under [[Bonaventure]] and became [[regent master]], or official lecturer, in [[theology]].<ref name=Lawrence146/><ref name=Leff183>Leff ''Paris and Oxford Universities'' p. 183</ref> While at Paris, he wrote a ''Commentary on Lamentations'', which sets out two possible sermons.<ref name=Douie269>Douie "Archbishops Pecham's Sermons and Collations" ''Studies in Medieval History'' p. 269</ref>

For years Peckham taught at Paris, where he was in contact with many of the leading scholars of his time, including Thomas Aquinas.<ref name=Lawrence146>Lawrence "Thirteenth Century" ''English Church and the Papacy'' pp. 146–147</ref> He famously debated Thomas on at least two occasions during 1269 and 1270, during which Peckham defended the conservative theological position, and Thomas put forth his views on the soul.<ref name=Thought294>Knowles ''Evolution of Medieval Thought'' p. 294</ref> The Thomist doctrine of the unity of form [[Condemnation of 1277#Condemnation of 1270|was condemned]] after these debates.<ref name=Leff228>Leff ''Paris and Oxford Universities'' p. 228</ref> His theological works later were used by his pupil [[Roger Marston]] who in turn inspired [[Duns Scotus]].<ref name=DNB/>

Peckham also studied other fields, however; and was guided by [[Robert Grosseteste]] and Roger Bacon's views on the value of experimental science.<ref name=Leff288>Leff ''Paris and Oxford Universities'' p. 288</ref> Where Peckham met Bacon is not known, but it would have been at either Paris or Oxford. Bacon's influence can be seen in Peckham's works on [[optics]] (the ''Perspectiva communis'') and astronomy.<ref name=DNB/>
In the field of optics, Peckham was influenced by [[Euclid]], [[Pseudo-Euclid]], [[Aristotle]], [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], [[al-Kindi]], [[Avicenna]], [[Ibn al-Haytham|Alhazen]], [[Robert Grosseteste]], and [[Roger Bacon]]. Of these, historian David Lindberg argues, "Alhazen is by far the most significant, and Peckham could speak of his intention to 'follow in the footsteps' of the author".<ref name=DCL/>