How did John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham challenge Thomism?

John Duns Scotus and William of Ockham challenged the Thomistic tradition by emphasizing the absolute freedom of God and the contingency of creation, moving away from the rationalistic necessity often associated with Aristotelian-influenced Scholasticism.123

John Duns Scotus

Duns Scotus challenged the rationalist view that philosophy could fully satisfy the human desire for knowledge, arguing that pure philosophy—like that of Aristotle—failed to account for the Fall of Man and the necessity of grace. He rejected the idea of the universe being governed by necessary causes, instead stressing its total dependence on God’s infinite creative will. Furthermore, he adopted voluntarism, elevating the human will above the intellect.43

William of Ockham

Ockham pushed these critiques further, initiating the via moderna (modern way) by rejecting the existence of divine ideas as models for creation. He argued that because God is absolutely free, creatures possess no shared natures or essences; only individual things are real. Ockham utilized Ockham’s razor to emphasize economy of thought and maintained that faith and reason should be separated, as human reason is limited and often restricted to probable arguments rather than absolute certainty.15