This volume examines a selection of late medieval works devoted to the intensive infinite in order to draw a comprehensive picture of the context, character and importance of scholastic efforts to reason philosophically about divine infinity. As Dominican masters face Franciscan 'spirituals' and as university-trained theologians face evangelical laymen, the purpose and meaning of divine infinity shift, reflecting a basic tension between the Church's Petrine vocation for geopolitical orthodoxy and its more Pauline mission to promote Christian orthopraxis. The first part of the book traces the scholastic defense of divine infinity from the holocaust of Montsegur up to John Duns Scotus. The second part examines the semiotic breakthrough initiated by William of Ockham and the subsequent penetration of infinist theory into a wide variety of disciplines.

The life force represents hope, and gives personal meaning to young women who may feel they have no purpose in life except to reproduce themselves. Everyone around this girl - her family, her village or neighbors, and the midwives and doctors who care for her - all feel relevant and proud when they become involved in this life force. Unfortunately, attitudes toward childbirth can progress from respect and awe at this force of nature, to one of suspicion and fear: for don't all forces of nature require management and conquest? Thus childbirth becomes something to control. A reason to bring on the technology. Medical science, surgical training, and the hospital industry all search for ways and reasons to control and confront the unpredictable. And in the fight for control, just like in a war, there are winners and losers.