St. Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy, Life, and Enduring Legacy
St. Thomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Philosophy
The Compatibility of Faith and Reason
St. Thomas Aquinas, a revered theologian and admirer of Aristotle, asserted that Aristotelian philosophy was entirely compatible with Christian faith. He believed that theological and philosophical truth is singular and unique, accessible through various paths. The ultimate truth, God, is the final object of all knowledge. While divine revelation provides profound insights, knowledge of God can also be approached
Read MoreCompany Law Fundamentals: Structure, Formation, and Capital
Understanding Companies: Definitions and Features
Definition of a Company
A company is a legal entity separate from its members, created by law, with its own rights, duties, and liabilities. It is a business organization formed to carry out specific activities as defined in its charter. Companies have the ability to own property, incur liabilities, and engage in business transactions in their own name.
- According to Section 2(20) of the Companies Act, 2013, “Company means a company incorporated under
Art Movements: Neoclassical to Early 20th Century Painting
Neoclassical Art
Characteristics: Greco-Roman styles, pediments, domes, stone, and French Pantheon balance. Emphasis on beauty, elegance, harmony, proportion, multiple views, slender bodies, and light effects.
Principles: Very academic, basic drawing and painting, geometric forms and symmetrical compositions. Lighting effects and values emphasizing personal sacrifice, honor, power, and militarism.
Key Artists: Jacques-Louis David (Oath of the Horatii, The Rape of the Sabines, The Coronation of Napoleon)
Read MoreMusical Eras: Baroque, Renaissance, Classicism, and Medieval
Baroque Period (17th – Early 18th Century)
Features:
- Music aims to surpass the word, prioritizing harmonic systems.
- Voices have varying importance; a primary melody is accompanied by others (melody and accompaniment).
- Use of dissonance.
- Well-defined rhythm.
- Instrumental and vocal music are distinct.
Periods:
- Early Baroque (1580-1630): Focused on dissonance.
- Mid-Baroque (1630-1680): Rise of opera and vocal music.
- Late Baroque (1680-1750): Concert style.
Late Renaissance (14th-16th Century)
Features:
- Polyphonic
Scientific Methods, Symbols, and Human Communication
Empirical sciences study observable facts and are testable through experience (via the senses). These include natural sciences (e.g., physical chemistry and ecology) and social sciences (e.g., sociology, psychology, anthropology, and history). They are part of the hypothetico-deductive method.
Formal sciences study the human mind and prove their claims through logical and coherent reasoning. Mathematics and logic are examples, forming part of the deductive method.
The Hypothetico-Deductive Method
The
Read MoreRajinder Mishra Character Analysis in Akhil Sharma’s ‘Family Life’
Rajinder Mishra: A Complex Character in Akhil Sharma’s ‘Family Life’
Akhil Sharma’s autobiographical novel, Family Life, draws its characters directly from the author’s real-life experiences. While Ajay serves as the central character, the entire Mishra family plays prominent roles in the development of the novel’s plot. Rajinder Mishra, father to Ajay and Birju and the family patriarch, is a particularly significant figure. His decision to emigrate his family from India to America, driven by the
Read MoreEconomic Nationalism: From Classical Roots to Modern Trade Policy
Mercantilism: Foundations of Economic Nationalism
Mercantilism is a state-focused view of international political economy that prioritizes national security, power, and economic control. From the 15th to 19th centuries, classical mercantilism aimed to build trade surpluses by promoting exports and limiting imports. Wealth—especially gold and silver—was seen as necessary to fund military power and secure dominance. Charles Tilly argued that war drove state consolidation, making trade and resource
Read MoreFranco’s Unification Decree: Power Consolidation in Civil War Spain
The Unification Decree of 1937: Franco’s Power Consolidation
Introduction to the Unification Decree
This document is a primary source, a decree with a political content and legal-political nature. Its character is public, as it appeared in the Gazette. The author was Francisco Franco, ‘Head of the State Government’ and ‘Generalissimo of the Armies’ in the area controlled by the rebels. It was approved in April 1937, following successive failures to take Madrid and the conviction that the war would
Read MoreModern Life Debates: Health, Work, Society, and Finance
Vegetarian Diet: Pros and Cons
Many people have become vegetarians after the increase in problems with certain types of meat, such as mad cow disease, avian flu, and pollution affecting fish. However, like everything, there are advantages and disadvantages to this type of diet.
Advantages of Vegetarianism
- The main advantage of this diet is that fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals.
- When consumed fresh or raw, they retain these properties much more effectively.
Disadvantages
Read MoreKrausism and the Philosophical Roots of the ILE Education
Philosophical Foundation of the ILE: Krausism
The Institución Libre de Enseñanza (ILE) education is rooted in Krausism, a philosophical current that, through the 18th century, traces back to the Renaissance. This places humanity at the center, asserting that humans have intrinsic value. This is the essence of Humanism, emphasizing the need to train individuals to be valuable members of society. While values are paramount, the development of society is also crucial. This perspective resonated in
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