Thomas Aquinas

[ithinkjesusiscool]

Pax!
How do you use your knowledge of Thomas Aquinas' philosophy/theology in daily life?

[arfink]

Like a boss. ;)

 

People who know me well know that I love Thomism, especially his understanding of human nature. The fundamental building blocks of who we are as human beings and thus how we ought to live our lives can be built pretty much entirely from that standpoint.

[Not The Philosopher]

I once tried to give an act/potency style argument for the existence of God to a couple of co-workers while waiting with them at their bus stop. They got on their bus and went away before I could finish.

[Basilisa Marie]

Lol this sounds like a homework assignment. :) 

[ithinkjesusiscool]

Lol this sounds like a homework assignment. :)

my teacher didn't really told me to do this. 

 

Like a boss. ;)

 

People who know me well know that I love Thomism, especially his understanding of human nature. The fundamental building blocks of who we are as human beings and thus how we ought to live our lives can be built pretty much entirely from that standpoint.

So how do you go from just having facts about Thomist anthropology in your head to actually use it in daily life?

[Nihil Obstat]

 

So how do you go from just having facts about Thomist anthropology in your head to actually use it in daily life?

If nothing else, the Angelic Doctor's style of argumentation is an excellent tool to help your own thinking be clear, concise, and persuasive. :) I use a sort of stripped down, adapted version of it when I write some types of philosophy papers, and I usually get very good marks for treating the question thoroughly.

[arfink]

my teacher didn't really told me to do this. 

 

So how do you go from just having facts about Thomist anthropology in your head to actually use it in daily life?

 

Well, unlike Nihil, I don't usually use it to argue with other people or to prove things to them.

 

Generally speaking, Thomistic theology provides a nice framework in light of which you can judge almost any action you want to take. Making the determination of what is right and what is wrong is relatively straightforward if you're using his "tools."

[AnneLine]

Hey a question for you Aquinas guys... if someone wanted to START reading the Summa, what would be a good way to tackle it if you are NOT in a class and don't have a ton of background.  

 

One of the people in the Advent to Candlemas Reading Thread was asking about this... but it seems to me it would be DAUNTING to try to just chow it down piecemeal.  I've read some of the sections -- enough to know I'd be a little unsure where to start.

 

What's a reasonable chunk to start with?

 

Can you suggest a good intro or companion book?

 

Which sections would you start with, and why?

 

 

I agree that what I have read has helped me HUGELY both in just living my life and knowing how to set out a good 'argument' -- but I don't use it for fighting, either....

 

Edited December 7, 2013 by AnneLine

[PhuturePriest]

Hey a question for you Aquinas guys... if someone wanted to START reading the Summa, what would be a good way to tackle it if you are NOT in a class and don't have a ton of background.  

 

One of the people in the Advent to Candlemas Reading Thread was asking about this... but it seems to me it would be DAUNTING to try to just chow it down piecemeal.  I've read some of the sections -- enough to know I'd be a little unsure where to start.

 

What's a reasonable chunk to start with?

 

Can you suggest a good intro or companion book?

 

Which sections would you start with, and why?

 

 

I agree that what I have read has helped me HUGELY both in just living my life and knowing how to set out a good 'argument' -- but I don't use it for fighting, either....

 

You only need to read a few pages every day and you'll read the entire thing in a year. People make it seem like it's harder to read the entire book than it actually is. I would tell her to just pace herself to a few pages a day so she can really let the words settle in her mind, and in a year's time she'll have read the whole thing.

[Nihil Obstat]

Well, unlike Nihil, I don't usually use it to argue with other people or to prove things to them.

Generally speaking, Thomistic theology provides a nice framework in light of which you can judge almost any action you want to take. Making the determination of what is right and what is wrong is relatively straightforward if you're using his "tools."

Heyyyy... <_<
I rarely do that.

[arfink]

Heyyyy... <_<
I rarely do that.

 

:harhar:

[Nihil Obstat]

<_<

[arfink]

I've missed our fun and games. :)

[tinytherese]

I'm baffled by how easily lots of Phatmassers can read St. Thomas Aquinas.

 

I have difficulty just reading one paragraph of his or heck even just one sentence. My brain hurts and I don't know what he's saying. 

In my moral theology class at Benedictine College, our professor gave us questions to answer from The Summa for homework.

 

We'd do our best to answer the question and then our professor would ask, "Do you know what that means?" We'd say, "No."

 

Someone should write St. Thomas Aquinas for Dummies.

[Not The Philosopher]

Aquinas by Edward Feser is a good, short intro. He does a good job of explaining the philosophical framework/terminology that Aquinas was operating in.