The Thomistic Institute Aquinas and Newman on the Pursuit of Wisdom and Happiness – Prof. Jennifer Frey
Nov 17, 2025
In this insightful discussion, Professor Jennifer A. Frey, a leading philosopher from the University of Tulsa, delves into the pursuit of wisdom through the lenses of Thomas Aquinas and John Henry Newman. She critiques the modern university's focus on specialization, likening it to a 'knowledge-production machine' that neglects the humanities. Frey champions Newman's vision of a liberal education, which fosters universal knowledge and promotes human flourishing. She argues that wisdom should guide all disciplines, encouraging students to engage in philosophical inquiry for a meaningful life.
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Modern Scholarship As Technical Expertise
- Modern universities often treat scholarship as narrow technical expertise divorced from questions of meaning.
- Jennifer A. Frey argues this Weberian model sidelines wisdom and the cultivation of the soul.
Disenchantment Drives Specialization
- Weber views modernity as disenchantment, where rationalization removes mysterious or transcendent meaning.
- This leads scholars to specialize and avoid ultimate questions about value or purpose.
Scholarship Shouldn't Prescribe Ends
- Weber says scholarship clarifies means but must not prescribe ends or values.
- He warns judgment about ends by scholars would be demagoguery and an abuse of power.
