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The Thomistic Institute

The Ontological Status of Light and Color in St. Thomas Aquinas | Prof. John Boyer

Oct 7, 2024
John Boyer, a Ph.D. candidate specializing in medieval Aristotelian scholasticism at the University of St. Thomas, takes listeners on an enlightening journey through St. Thomas Aquinas's views on light and color. He explores the ontological importance of light in perception, referencing Aristotle's theories, and highlights contrasts with ancient thoughts on visibility and color. Boyer also discusses how these philosophical ideas have influenced our understanding of reality and perception through the lens of causal explanation.
45:39

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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The lecture distinguishes between emission and intro mission theories of vision, highlighting St. Thomas Aquinas's preference for Aristotle's perspective on light and color perception.
  • Aquinas critiques the materialistic understanding of light, proposing it as a modifying quality in transparent media essential for transmitting color perceptions to the observer's eye.

Deep dives

Ancient Theories of Vision

Two primary theories of vision are discussed, namely the emission and intro mission theories. Emission theory, championed by Plato, posits that the eye sends out light, likened to fire, to engage with objects, whereas intro mission theory, supported by Aristotle, suggests that light enters the eye from outside sources. St. Thomas Aquinas adopts Aristotle’s view and builds upon it, recognizing the contextual differences that arose in understanding Aristotle's original concepts in light of subsequent philosophical commentary, particularly by Arabic thinkers. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration into the role of light and color in the process of seeing.

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