History of Philosophy Without Any Gaps HoP 243 - The Ox Heard Round the World - Thomas Aquinas
Dec 20, 2015
An introduction to Thomas Aquinas, his views on faith and reason, his famous 'five ways' of proving God's existence, his life, achievements, and controversies, his integration of different perspectives in philosophy and theology, the services of philosophy to religion, and an analysis of Aquinas' arguments for the existence of God.
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The Dumb Ox Origin Story
- Albert the Great nicknamed Thomas 'dumb ox' but predicted his future fame.
- The anecdote highlights Aquinas' quiet disposition and later global influence.
Aquinas' Family Drama
- Aquinas joined the Dominicans despite his family's objections and even a staged temptation.
- The story of chasing away a prostitute illustrates his character and commitment to the order.
Summa's Place In Aquinas's Oeuvre
- Aquinas produced a prodigious body of work dominated by the Summa Theologiae but also earlier synoptic works.
- His Summa structures theology into parts and uses scholastic disputed-question method for clarity.