Life and Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas: A Medieval Scholar
Life and Thought of St. Thomas Aquinas
Early Life and Education
Thomas Aquinas was born in 1224 in Roccasecca Castle, north of Naples. He attended college in Naples and later entered the Dominican Order. Returning to Italy, he dedicated himself to teaching in various cities, engaging in the ongoing debates between different schools of thought. He passed away in 1274 while attending the Council of Lyons convened by Pope Gregory X.
Aristotle’s Influence and Aquinas’s Writings
During the Middle Ages, various
Read MoreA Thomistic Glossary of Philosophical Terms
A
Act
The act is the reality of being, what a thing truly is. In conjunction with the concept of power, it explains the change or movement of beings, understood as the transition from potency to act. However, act precedes power logically and ontologically because only from the actual can one understand the potential. Act ontologically determines being, thus being its own reality and principle. The act is “what makes it what it is.”
Appetite
Appetite is any tendency or inclination towards an end. As
Read MoreAristotle and Plato: Exploring Ancient Greek Philosophy
Aristotle
Born in Stageira, Chalkidiki, Greece, Aristotle was a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He is considered one of history’s greatest thinkers and a pioneer of logical thinking. Aristotle made significant contributions to various fields, including ethics, politics, physics, metaphysics, logic, psychology, poetry, rhetoric, zoology, biology, and natural history. He influenced Western thought, creating words now used in modern languages. Auguste Comte called him the “Prince
Read MoreNietzsche’s Glossary of Terms: A Comprehensive Guide
Nietzsche’s Glossary of Terms
Perfidy
Perfidy: Treachery. Nietzsche cautions against taking risks in the pursuit of truth. He criticizes Kant for recognizing the demystification of the real world while clinging to a supersensible world as the foundation of morality, thus prolonging Platonic dualism.
Appearance
Appearance: The way a thing is perceived by the senses. In traditional metaphysics, appearance is the opposite of reality, which Nietzsche considers a delusion caused by the fear of contingency
Read MorePlato vs. Aristotle: A Comparison of Metaphysics
Plato’s Metaphysics: The Theory of Ideas
Two Worlds: The World of Ideas and the Sensible World
Ontological Dualism
Plato’s metaphysics posits two distinct realities: the sensible world we perceive and an intelligible world of ideas accessible only through understanding. This dualistic approach distinguishes between the apparent reality of the sensible world and the true reality of the world of ideas.
The World of Ideas
The intelligible world of ideas, or forms, is based on the sensible world but is considered
Read MoreNietzsche’s Philosophy: Night, Noon, and Twilight
Nietzsche’s Philosophy: Exploring Night, Noon, and Twilight
Philosophy of the Night
Nietzsche’s philosophy of the night draws upon pre-Socratic thought, using the night sky as a metaphor for interpreting reality. Dionysus, the god of night, embodies the genuine attitude towards life in this period. This concept is inspired by and illustrated in Voltaire’s work, condemning the metaphysical, the religious, and the artistic. Nietzsche denounces all Occidental ideals of culture, criticizing the ideas
Read More