St. Thomas Aquinas: Historical Context, Philosophy, and Theology
St. Thomas Aquinas
Belonged to the Dominican Order during the Middle Ages, a time when the Franciscans and Dominicans competed for influence in universities. The Dominicans followed Aristotelian philosophy and were more open to progressive thinking. St. Thomas was initially condemned but later canonized.
Historical Context
1. Marked by the coexistence of three cultures (Christian, Jewish, and Muslim), which provided cultural enrichment. It is important because it incorporates thoughts from Jewish thinkers
Read MoreKant’s Epistemology and Ethics: A Priori Knowledge and Moral Duty
The Problem of Knowledge
Metaphysics, unlike other sciences, has not become a definitive science despite its long history. This raises the question of whether metaphysics is possible as a science. Kant attempts to establish principles for scientific knowledge, which for him is certain knowledge. From this, we can establish the conditions any other knowledge must meet to be considered true. Metaphysics, unlike other sciences, seeks to transcend experience and institutional knowledge, exploring concepts
Read MoreOrtega y Gasset: Life, Reason, and 20th-Century Spanish Thought
Ortega y Gasset: Key Ideas
Ortega y Gasset is one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century. His philosophy has a clear pedagogical intention: to put his proposal at the service of culture and life. One phrase sums up his approach: “I am myself and my circumstance, and if I do not save it, I do not save myself.” The philosopher’s work is to understand and illuminate the situation. Ortega’s philosophy is practical, educational, and political.
The Vital Reason
We understand our circumstances through
Read MoreNietzsche’s Vitalism: Will to Power, Superman, and Eternal Return
Theme 1: Nietzsche’s Vitalism
1. Vitalism in Philosophy
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, several philosophers developed their philosophies based on the reflection of life. Within this vitalism, there are common and different streams according to their concept of life. It is customary to note at least two ways of looking at life: life in the biological sense, and life in the biographical and historical sense.
2. Vitalism vs. Rationalism
Vitalism in philosophy is presented as a doctrine
Read MoreLogic, Reasoning, and Computation: A Comprehensive Overview
6. Reasoning: Reasoning can be understood as a mental process based on certain claims to draw additional conclusions. To reason is to develop a discursive process, establishing some conclusions from other assumptions. To refer to linguistic reasoning, we have used terms such as deduction and inference.
7. Truth and Corrections: When an argument is correct, it is usually true. However, it is important to keep in mind the meaning of truth or falsehood from a logical point of view.
True or False Propositions:
Read MoreSt. Thomas Aquinas: Faith, Reason, and Philosophy
Santo Tomas: Value-Faith Reason
St. Thomas Aquinas: Core Beliefs
St. Thomas Aquinas’s philosophy is built upon key assumptions:
- Creation ex nihilo.
- The ultimate goal of humanity is the possession of God.
- Theology is the preeminent science, with philosophy clarifying Christian revelations.
Faith teaches the most important truths, some attainable through reason, others through the supernatural. Reason and faith have distinct objects, methods, and criteria, yet they are not contradictory. Reason stems from
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