Saint Thomas Aquinas: Philosophy, Theology, and Existence
Work of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The Summa Theologica reflects the problems of his time and maintains a balance between a philosophy that does not contradict the faith from Aristotelian categories and includes medieval Augustinian ideas.
The Structure of Being
Aquinas accepts the Aristotelian structure and causes stress upon two things: a widely used measure, the composition of power. He adds an original way, the distinction between essence and existence.
The composition of essence and existence: The real self is composed of both. Essence is what a being is, and there is a real being. Indeterminate power essence is pure act and existence.
The Structure of Knowledge
All our knowledge begins with sense experience. We are in the truth when understanding coincides with reality.
The demonstration and first principles: Try to prove a thesis that is clear, but we will do through an evident demonstration.
Article One: Is God Obvious or Not?
Begins with an objection. Collects arguments that need to prove its existence.
First objection: Man has a natural aspiration, and this naturally knows what it aspires to, being God, which means happiness. How can you go into without knowing?
Response by Thomas: There is so clear that all identify happiness with God.
Second objection: The proposition, “God exists,” is self-evident and needs no explanation. God is an existent that cannot cease to exist.
Answer: This proposition is not obvious to us.
Third objection: No need to prove the existence of God because if there is something true, there must be truth. God is truth itself.
Answer: We must distinguish between truth and general knowledge of a concrete and singular personal truth that is God, which requires a rational demonstration. Then it is necessary to prove the existence of God.
Article Two: Is the Existence of God Demonstrable or Not?
If it were a question that exceeds the capacity of human reason, why follow that?
First objection: For it is not demonstrable, the content of faith. These contents are not demonstrable; if proven, they become obvious, and faith is not so obvious. Related to faith and reason, philosophy, theology, faith: it requires willpower to tilt understanding to assent. For the revealed truth, one needs the “grace of God.”
Reason: But it is also a nod to the obvious and demonstrable.
Philosophy: Is based on reason. It argues for the principles of his argument.
Theology: Part of the faith, and argues for the principles of his argument in the revelation. Between them, there can be no contradiction; there is only one truth.
Thomas’s Answer: It can be shown, and may be revealed truth and credible, for metaphysical demonstrations can do (most).
Third objection: Existence is not demonstrable in that we know from its effects, not be that these are finite and God is infinite.
Answer: If you can demonstrate, through the effects, you can prove the existence of the cause since they depend on their cause.
Aquinas and Aristotle
Structure and Interpretation of Real Nature
- Theory of movement: Define the movement in terms of potency and act, and movement in exchange rates, the substantial and accidental changes.
- Hylomorphism composition of natural substances: Substances, natural theory, are composed of matter and form. The intangible are forms without matter.
- Distinction between substance and accident: Natural substances are subject to accidental forms.
- The theory of four causes.
Theology
- Aquinas accepts the Aristotelian demonstration of the existence of God based on the movement. Thomas departs from the current Augustinian. No proof of the existence of God.
- On the way to conceive of God, Aquinas accepted the Aristotelian theory that is defined as pure act. Aquinas accepts Aristotle’s conception of God as self-thinking thought. Takes to make a correction to the Aristotelian, the difference between edge and that comes from making one accepts the creation of the world by God and not the other. According to Aristotle, God created the world, and not according to Thomas, God created the world, and if you believe, I know.
Anthropology
Thomas accepts Aristotle’s definition of the soul as the principle of life.
Ethics
Thomas accepts the Aristotelian principle that the ultimate end of man is happiness, that happiness is in perfect contemplation. Thomas takes the idea that moral standards are based on human nature.