St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiae is a monumental work of systematic theology, aiming to present a comprehensive overview of Christian doctrine. It's structured around questions and articles, exploring various aspects of faith and reason. The Summa covers topics such as God, creation, the human person, salvation, and the sacraments. It's considered a cornerstone of Catholic theology and has profoundly influenced philosophical and theological discourse for centuries. Its enduring relevance lies in its systematic approach and integration of faith and reason.
The Nicomachean Ethics is Aristotle's most renowned work on ethics, focusing on the science of the good for human life. The text is divided into ten books and discusses the concept of eudaimonia, often translated as 'happiness' or 'flourishing,' which is achieved through living a virtuous life. Aristotle argues that eudaimonia is an activity of the soul in accordance with virtue, emphasizing the importance of reason, moral virtues, and the pursuit of excellence. The work also explores the division of the soul, the role of rationality in human life, and the ultimate goal of human activity, which is to achieve happiness through virtuous actions and a complete life[1][2][4].
Aristotle's Metaphysics is a collection of fourteen books exploring fundamental questions about reality, substance, change, and causality. It delves into the nature of being, exploring concepts like potentiality and actuality, substance and accident, and the relationship between form and matter. This work significantly influenced Western philosophy, shaping metaphysical discussions for centuries. Its complex arguments and profound insights continue to be studied and debated by scholars today, offering a rich understanding of Aristotle's philosophical system.
St. Thomas Aquinas's Summa Contra Gentiles is a comprehensive work aiming to refute errors of non-Christians using reason and revelation. It systematically addresses philosophical and theological issues, demonstrating the compatibility of faith and reason. The work is divided into four parts, covering God, creation, the human person, and Christ. It's a cornerstone of Thomistic thought, influencing generations of theologians and philosophers. Its impact on Christian apologetics and intellectual history is undeniable. The Summa Contra Gentiles remains a significant resource for understanding Aquinas's approach to philosophical and theological inquiry.
David Hume's 'Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion' is a philosophical work exploring the arguments for and against the existence of God. The work presents a series of dialogues between different characters representing various philosophical positions. Hume masterfully employs his skeptical approach to examine the limitations of human reason in addressing theological questions. The dialogues explore the arguments from design, the problem of evil, and the nature of divine attributes. The work remains a significant contribution to the philosophy of religion.
Professor Joshua Hochschild argues that Aquinas' proofs for God's existence, specifically the first way, are simple, accessible, and not merely spiritual exercises, but rather starting points for a deeper understanding of God and the relationship between faith and reason.
This lecture was given on November 4th, 2024, at University of Texas at Austin.
For more information on upcoming events, visit us at thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events.
About the Speaker:
Joshua Hochschild is Professor of Philosophy at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he also served six years as the inaugural Dean of the College of Liberal Arts. His primary research is in medieval logic, metaphysics, and ethics, with broad interest in liberal education and the continuing relevance of the Catholic intellectual tradition. He is the author of The Semantics of Analogy: Rereading Cajetan’s De Nominum Analogia (2010), translator of Claude Panaccio’s Mental Language: From Plato to William of Ockham (2017), and co-author of A Mind at Peace: Reclaiming an Ordered Soul in the Age of Distraction (2017). His writing has appeared in First Things, Commonweal, Modern Age and the Wall Street Journal. For 2020-21 he served as President of the American Catholic Philosophical Association.
Keywords: Aristotelianism, Causality, David Hume, Empirical Fact, First Cause, Natural Theology, Proof of God's Existence, Reason, Skepticism, Unmoved Mover
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