Can Philosophical Skepticism Be Overcome? | Fr. Thomas Joseph White, O.P.

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May 8, 2025

Fr. Thomas Joseph White, Rector Magnificus at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas in Rome, dives deep into philosophical skepticism and realism. He explores the tension between skepticism and the nature of reality, referencing thinkers like Aristotle and Kant. The discussion includes the significance of essence and existence, juxtaposing Thomistic thought against modern critiques. White also sheds light on how art influences our understanding of reality, illustrating the interplay of knowledge and perception through human experience.

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ANECDOTE

Acadia Mountain Climb Metaphor

Fr. Thomas White shares a personal story about his parents' steep mountain climbs in Acadia National Park.
He uses this as a metaphor for climbing complex philosophical ideas quickly and carefully.

INSIGHT

Aristotle's Foundations of Knowledge

Aristotle argues knowledge starts from principles we already know before rational demonstration.
This pre-rational insight allows arguments about reality and counters skeptics' claims of ignorance.

INSIGHT

Principle of Non-Contradiction

The principle of non-contradiction asserts an attribute cannot both belong and not belong to the same subject in the same respect at once.
This principle undergirds both reality's nature and how language truthfully refers to it.

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Fr. Thomas Joseph White explores whether philosophical skepticism can be overcome by examining Aristotle, Aquinas, Kant, and Nietzsche on metaphysical knowledge, emphasizing foundational principles like non-contradiction and identity.

This lecture was given on February 5th, 2024, at Yale University.

For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.

About the Speaker:

Fr. Thomas Joseph White is the Rector Magnificus of the Pontifical University of St. Thomas (Angelicum) in Rome. Originally a native of southeastern Georgia in the US, Fr. White studied at Brown University, where he converted to Catholicism. He did his doctoral studies in theology at Oxford University, and is the author of various books and articles including Wisdom in the Face of Modernity, A Thomistic Study in Natural Theology (Sapientia Press, 2016), The Incarnate Lord, A Thomistic Study in Christology (The Catholic University of America Press, 2015), The Trinity: On the Nature and Mystery of the One God (Catholic University of America Press, 2022), Principles of Catholic Theology Book III: On God, Trinity, Creation, and Christ (Catholic University of America Press, 2024) and Contemplation and the Cross (The Catholic University of America Press, 2025). With Matthew Levering he is the co-editor of the academic journal Nova et Vetera. In 2011 he was appointed an ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas and in 2019 was named a Distinguished Scholar of the McDonald Agape Foundation. He held the 2018-2019 McInnes Chair for theological inquiry at the Angelicum. In 2022, he was granted an honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of America, and in 2023 he was elected President of the Academy of Catholic Theology. In 2023, Fr. White was also awarded the title Master of Sacred Theology, one of the highest academic awards in the Dominican Order.

Keywords: Adrienne Moore, Aristotle, Kant, Metaphysical Knowledge, Nietzsche, Non-Contradiction, Philosophical Skepticism, Principle of Identity, Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Thomistic Metaphysics