Question

What was the role of philosophy in medieval thought? What were early philosophers contemplating?

Answer 1

Early on, the neoplatonism philosophy of Plotinus seemed to provide the most convenient intellectual support for religious doctrine. But later on in the medieval era, thanks especially to thee work of the Arabic-language thinkers,Aristotles metaphysics gained a wider acceptance.

(philosophypages.com)

Answer 2

The role of philosophy, often refered to as scholasticism, was to synthesize the philosophical ideas of the great philosophers of antiquity (most notably Aristotle and Plato) in order to fundament, defend, and advance the rational belief in God and the dogma behind the institution of the Church. In a broad sense, early philosophers, again, such as Aristotle and Plato, were contemplating the nature of Being, of the One, of the Good, of the Idea; all reflections that then took in the middle-ages the name of God.