Join Professor Thomas Hibbs, a leading philosophy expert from Baylor University, and Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, a Dominican priest and University Chaplain at The Catholic University of America, as they delve into the essence of friendship. They discuss the alarming decline of meaningful relationships today, emphasizing insights from Aristotle and Aquinas on the intrinsic value of true friendship. The conversation critiques modern individualism, advocating for a richer understanding of community and the common good, highlighting how genuine connections can alleviate suffering.
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insights INSIGHT
Decline of Friendship
Modern society shows a decline in close friendships, dropping from an average of 3.5 to 1.7.
This loneliness correlates with a rise in political animosity and a search for belonging through identity politics.
insights INSIGHT
Friendship in Ethics
Aristotle dedicated significant portions of his Ethics to friendship, viewing it as essential for a flourishing life.
Modern ethics textbooks often neglect friendship, reflecting a shift away from holistic views of human well-being.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Intrinsic Value of Friendship
Aristotle believed in pursuing activities for their own sake, not just as means to an end, with friendship being a prime example.
Tocqueville observed Americans' restless pursuit of happiness, always seeking it around the next corner, ultimately leading to disappointment.
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In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.
Professor Thomas Hibbs and Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau discuss the importance of friendship and social life from a Thomistic perspective, highlighting the decline in friendships in modern society and the philosophical insights of Aristotle and Aquinas on the nature of human relationships.
This lecture was given on June 29th, 2024, at The Dominican House of Studies.
Thomas Hibbs is currently J. Newton Rayzor Sr. Professor of Philosophy at Baylor where he is also Dean Emeritus, having served for 16 years as the inaugural Dean of the Honors College. At Baylor he was also the inaugural director of Baylor in Washington, D.C. where he currently runs a summer program on Religion and Social Life. He has served as department chair at Boston College and as president of the University of Dallas.
A native of Louisiana, Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau, O.P., entered the Dominican Province of St. Joseph in 2005. After several years of pastoral work in New York City, Fr. Guilbeau began doctoral studies in moral theology at the University of Fribourg, where he completed a dissertation on St. Thomas Aquinas’s doctrine of the common good. Currently, Fr. Guilbeau serves as the University Chaplain and Vice President for Ministry and Mission at The Catholic University of America.
The Thomistic Institute 
