Gratia Super Naturam

Notes on Beginning the Science of Metaphysics

2011-07-15T19:41:00.004-05:00

The following comprises a very brief sketch of how to begin the science of metaphysics as I understand it thus far, in light of my study under John Nieto. Anything that is true and clear, herein, must be directly credited to his teaching. Any errors or ambiguity are all my own. Please comment if possible and present any questions that might occur to you, as this will help further my understanding

Evolution

2011-04-19T18:01:00.000-05:00

A heads up for those interested in critiquing my understanding of evolution.

RIP Dr. Berquist

2010-11-02T11:56:00.004-05:00

Today, on this feast of All Souls, Dr. Marc Berquist died peacefully in his home with his family praying the rosary about him. May he now be sharing in God's vision. R.I.P."...Of course much the same thing is even truer in theology, where unless one makes the beginning of sacred doctrine rightly, then, later on very bad things happen. Philosophy is the

Dignity of the Person

2010-08-23T07:50:00.000-05:00

What I would like to start investigating and understanding is the role of "person" in ethical thought. Need one start at a theological level to argue for the dignity of a person? Is dignity a transcendental? Must one "start" with a Trinitarian notion of person to understand human personhood and dignity? Can one start there (a prior question)? The source of personalism is the nature of the human

Draft Excerpts

2010-06-22T21:52:00.000-05:00

Check out a draft section at my other page.

Draft Introduction

2010-06-09T23:02:00.000-05:00

So, you're not supposed to write the introduction first. Yeah, right. A twofold purpose is what I can see: 1) help me to focus my thoughts, and 2) help you all focus yours so that I can benefit from such helpful, sharp thoughts. The title (evidently a record): "Mobiles, Bodies, and the Science of Quantified Motion: Corpus in Aquinas's Exposition of Physics VI.4 and in Early Modern Mathematical

Intrinsic and Extrinsic Measurement

2010-06-03T22:23:00.000-05:00

John of St. Thomas, Cursus Theologicus, q.10, d.9, distinguishes two types of measurement: EXTRINSECA est, quae mensurat aliquid extra se, et ideo per applicationem, vel continentiam illius dicitur mensura, sicut duratio, et motus coeli mensurat motus inferiores tam quam extrinseca mensura illorum, et ulna mensura pannum, et libra pondus. Unde talis mensura terminat relationem realem sui

Scientia Media

2010-06-03T09:14:00.000-05:00

In his preface to Newton's Principia, Cotes igives a syllogistic argument for the attraction of all planetary bodies towards the sun that could be construed as a syllogism in “scientia media” form (the major term is more mathematical, Prop.2 of Principia; and the minor term seems more physical, Kepler’s second law). (From Cohen’s edition, p.387-88, with my [additions]/italics): “Now, it is

Analogy of "Good" and Rather a Friend of Truth

2010-01-15T23:57:00.002-06:00

A portion of my continuing reflections on St. Thomas's commentary on the Ethics.St. Thomas argues (Sent. Libri Ethicorum, I, Lect. 6) that “good” is said analogously both through the ten categories and within one category. While he gives the example of “a good time” which varies according to the context: a good time for military purposes, for farming purposes, for purposes of exercise, etc., this

Some Notes on St. Thomas Aquinas’s Sententia Libri Ethicorum, Liber I, Lectiones 1-3

2010-01-13T22:40:00.002-06:00

St. Thomas, awesome as always. Would like your comments.Lectio 1. In his prooemium, St. Thomas provides a division of the sciences with an eye to discussing the division of philosophia moralis. What is interesting is that this division follows upon four kinds of order related to mind, two of which are found, and three of which are made, (the order of things, the order of the mind’s acts, the

Reflection on Nicomachean Ethics, Book I

2010-01-13T22:34:00.003-06:00

A few random reflections on EN I.“Nevertheless, even in these circumstances the quality of fineness shines through, when someone bears repeated and great misfortunes calmly, not because he is insensitive to them but because he is a person of nobility and greatness of soul.” - EN, I.10, 1100b30-33This passage reflects the difference between Stoicism and Aristotelian virtue ethics in a revealing

First Encounters With NNLT

2010-01-02T11:19:00.001-06:00

- Prolegomena, a general thought:Where philosophers disagree most is about the principles of things, and the order in which to apply principles when giving a causal explanation of common experience. An example of this is the order between things known and concepts of things known: St. Thomas Aquinas and Immanuel Kant give diametrically opposed accounts of the order between these ‘things’. Another

In Die Nativitatis Domini

2009-12-25T09:15:00.000-06:00

Duccio di Buoninsegna, Nativity (1308-11), National Gallery of Art, WashingtonProclamation of the Birth of Christ The twenty-fifth day of December. In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth; the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood; the

O Emmanuel

2009-12-23T09:12:00.001-06:00

Fall 2009 Papers

2009-12-22T16:11:00.006-06:00

Here are the links to the papers (with brief summaries) that I wrote this semester. 1: "Omne Quod Movetur, Ab Alio Movetur: An Exposition of St. Thomas Aquinas's Demonstrations for the Beginning of a Rational Ascent to God From Motion."The cosmological proofs from motion all depend upon the "motor causality principle," namely, every thing in motion is moved by another. I provide here an

O Rex Gentium

2009-12-22T09:12:00.001-06:00

O Oriens

2009-12-21T09:06:00.001-06:00

O Clavis David

2009-12-20T21:28:00.002-06:00

O Radix Iesse

2009-12-19T19:16:00.001-06:00

O Adonai

2009-12-18T12:32:00.002-06:00

O Sapientia

2009-12-17T12:16:00.003-06:00

Quantity: Most Accident of Them All?

2009-12-09T18:23:00.002-06:00

1) "Accident" is said of many.2) "Accident" is not said univocally.3) "Accident" is not said equivocally.4) Therefore,"accident" is said analogously.5) Names are used analogously in virtue of some first use, which is referenced in every other use.6) The only thing all accidents have reference to in their account is that through which they inhere in substance.7) All accidents inhere to substance

In Conceptione Immaculata B. Mariae Virginis

2009-12-08T07:49:00.005-06:00

Immaculate Conception with Saints Francis and Jerome, Augustine, Bernard, Thomas Aquinas and BonaventurePIERO DI COSIMO(b. 1462, Firenze, d. 1521, Firenze)INEFFABILIS DEUSPope Pius IXApostolic Constitution issued on December 8, 1854.God Ineffable—whose ways are mercy and truth, whose will is omnipotence itself, and whose wisdom "reaches from end to end mightily, and orders all things sweetly"—

A new resource

2009-12-07T13:54:00.002-06:00

Henry's Books.

Answering the Objection of Anachronism

2009-11-19T11:49:00.004-06:00

Ed Feser gives a nicely articulated hermeneutic principle, stated below:"The arguments of great philosophers of the past need to be understood, not only in the context of their times, but also in light of how later thinkers built on them. For an argument can contain, inchoately, real insights which only later thinkers were able to spell out adequately; and we will miss these insights if, overly

ACPA paper, response, counter response

2009-11-18T13:21:00.003-06:00

I don't have time to give a full description of how the talk went, but in short I was very happy with it. Below is the paper, a response from Dr. Robert Miner of Baylor, and my (outline) reply to him-- a reply which deals mostly which his proposed alternative solution to mine as proposed in the paper. One thing which Robert empathized after the Q&A was that his comments were more "pedagogical"

Revised Thesis Preface

2009-11-04T13:13:00.003-06:00

This is the revised draft of the preface to my thesis. I might not include it at all, but it was helpful pre-writing. Please let me know what you think, including whether or not I should include this, or something like this. Thank you! The following thesis is admittedly much influenced by the thought of Aristotle. While Aristotle's influence can be seen in many ways in this thesis rather overtly

What is it Like to be An Angel?

2009-10-30T13:00:00.003-05:00

This is paper that I wrote for a couple of classes last semester. So far it has been warmly appreciated by the ones who have reviewed it and I am thinking about submitting a modified version for my writing sample to doctoral programs. I realize that it is rather long, but if you get the opportunity to read it I would appreciate your criticisms and comments.Introduction Thomas Nagel's influential

Nice Parsing of the Schools of Thomism

2009-10-22T15:36:00.004-05:00

Ed Feser has recently come out with a good book on Aquinas, which notably includes a clear break-down of the Thomistic tradition(s). He summarizes on his blog. Notably missing in the linked are the Analytical Thomist-- they are described in his next post. It's important to be aware of these categories because some Thomism are conscious proponents of their suppositions. Long live Laval!

Quia vs. Propter Quid; Considering the Demontrativus Regressus

2009-10-15T08:14:00.006-05:00

Some thoughts on quia v. propter quid. Also I hope to post soon the beginning of what Vin. and I will develop into a "dialog concerning the first thoughts of the mind." Finally, I will be posting portions of a paper on the principle "Omne quod movetur ab alio movetur."Quia demonstration: M: All non-twinklers are near. m: All planets are non-twinklers. C: All planets are near.The [M]ajor

A Four-Minute Aristotelian Presentation of the Soul

2009-10-05T20:31:00.003-05:00

I have been called upon to give a fellow philosopher who is not familiar with our Stagirite friend a quick run-down on the soul from an Aristotelian perspective. I have to do it in about four minutes, but there will be time for discussion after, and he is especially interested in contrasting it with Plato's view, which he is more familiar with. Obviously with such a short time allowance, the

The Specification of the Moral Act

2009-10-01T13:56:00.002-05:00

Below is part 2 of my thesis on double effect reasoning. In the fist part I just provide a basic review of the components of the moral act (of which ya'll are familiar): means, end, circumstance, object, intention, etc. This is a closer look at St. Thomas' understanding of "end," which is more complex than his understanding of some of the other parts of human action. Thanks for reading!Andrew M.

2009 ACPA

2009-09-18T12:27:00.003-05:00

Here is the link to the American Catholic Philosophical Association's 2009 conference, with the theme "Reasoning in Context." It looks like some good papers will be given. My paper, “Clarifying two Central Issues in Double Effect Reasoning Debates," which you have seen a version of on this blog, will be given Saturday evening. Thanks for all the input and support fellow blogoi!Here's the

Preface to My Thesis

2009-09-12T12:31:00.002-05:00

Below is a first draft of the preface to my thesis. I would appreciate your thoughts and input on it. At this point I feel like it is rather clumsy, and lacks the proper rhetorical flair. Please let me know if anything about it sounds to overbearing, unnecessary, etc. In the many conversations that I have had concerning this paper I have encountered certain questions and difficulties that this

Metalogic Resolution of "Celarent" to "Barbara"

2009-09-08T22:06:00.001-05:00

Aristotle offers arguments that resolve the valid syllogisms to various first figure syllogisms (Prior Analytics I.7). He further argues that the particular first figure forms, both negative and affirmative (i.e. "Darii" and "Ferio") can be resolved to the universal negative of the first figure ("Celarent") by contradiction and reductio. Thus, of the fourteen valid forms, ten resolve directly or

St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor Communis atque Expositor

2009-09-08T21:47:00.004-05:00

Plato, philosopher and teacher of Aristotle, once taught that, "There is a real distinction between existence and essence." Note that, of the two predications in the preceding statement, the truth of each is evaluated by two different disciplines. An individual man could conceivably argue to falsity of the main clause, and the truth of the quotation, but he would require two different sciences,

Denver Conference Paper: “The Locus of Intellectual Beatitude in Aquinas”

2009-07-01T15:03:00.005-05:00

Below is the paper I recently gave at this conference at the University of Denver. I suggest reading this other linked paper when you get to the part on Averroes. Please excuse the half-baked-ness of my paper...“The Locus of Intellectual Beatitude in Aquinas” By Andrew Lang

Some useful links

2009-06-27T17:52:00.002-05:00

Perhapts you are familiar with these; I had looked at these websites before but not realized their breath until today. It will be nice to never have to check out a Maritian book again.First Link: Aristotlian ThomismSecond Link: Natural Law

Via Resolutionis

2009-06-09T17:54:00.002-05:00

In the prooemium to his commentary on the Metaphysics of Aristotle, St. Thomas explains the necessity for a master science, wisdom, which will order all the others to the one end of human happiness.[1] This ruling science will be the most intellectual, he argues, just as in political matters the men strongest in intellect are the most fit to rule. Furthermore, that science is the most

Idealization and Its Role in Husserl's Crisis of the European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology

2009-06-08T20:34:00.004-05:00

Here is my term paper on Edmund Husserl's notion of idealization in "The Crisis of the European Sciences."Idealization is a key theme in Edmund Husserl’s unfinished, posthumous work The Crisis of European Sciences and Transcendental Phenomenology. I will investigate its function in the argument of Crisis and argue for its importance generally in understanding science. For Husserl, idealization is

The Use of Psychology

2009-06-08T19:40:00.003-05:00

Here is the term paper which I wrote for my class on the "De Anima," entitled "Utilitas Psychologiae: An Investigation Into the Usefulness of the Science of Soul for the First Philosopher"With characteristic swiftness and lucidity, St. Thomas draws out of the prooemium to the De Anima the Philosopher’s intent to render his student benevolent by an exposition of the utility of the science of soul.

HM's Ens Commune Term Paper

2009-06-08T15:56:00.004-05:00

Here is my term paper, "Dialectical Considerations of Ens Commune for the Beginner of Metaphysics," written for the SRC Metaphysics course FA & I just finished. This paper was an attempt for me to sort of speculatively assess and place where my current understanding falls with regard to metaphysics. I am posting it as a PDF so I hopefully don't make a big mess. Just click on the link if the

In Pursuit of Metaphysics

2009-06-05T18:11:00.002-05:00

Here is a paper that I turned in for my Special Readings Course on Existential Thomism. During the course of this class I realized that the basic concepts of metaphysics that were at stake were hard enough without trying to answer the positions of men like Gilson and Wippel. Consequently, while I do bring up their thought, it is only in a very cursory way.Also, when reading the following, please

Brilliant Article on Wine

2009-06-03T11:31:00.002-05:00

This is too good not to share. Enjoy!Type rest of the post here

The Distinction: Essentia and Esse

2009-05-07T15:48:00.010-05:00

I have been reading Gilson's book, "Being and Some Philosophers." Throughout, the work he seems to be holding up the distinction between essentia and esse as the solution to all our metaphysical difficulties. Leaving aside any disputes one might have about his understanding and application of the principle, it seems that he has neglected a somewhat fundamental question: Why do we think that this

Locke and Analogy

2009-04-19T19:42:00.002-05:00

A quick summary of my upcoming Locke paper:1) Analogous naming requires one word to have several meanings which are in an order. 2) Locke's theory of knowledge requires that any idea which can be the subject of a science falls under the power of our own arbitrary making.3) Different meanings of the same word cannot be in an order if each meaning is equally the product of our arbitrary making.4)

Dr. Thomas E. Dillon, RIP

2009-04-16T15:21:00.006-05:00

In memory of a great man, and as a tribute to Whom and what he worked for, I offer this reminder of his charge to graduates of Thomas Aquinas College. Although he did not write the words, he fulfilled their intention in his life, and this exhortation constituted his final act as president for every student who graduated from the college in the last 18 years.YOU ARE CHARGED, BEGINNING THIS DAY,

Why I am Hegelian

2009-04-01T17:39:00.004-05:00

Today on the occasion of my 25th birthday I would like to defend a philosophy I want to affiliate myself with.This is a big deal for me so I will express myself in the correct mode: dialetic:The mind which knows itself as free and wills itself as this its object, i.e. which has its true being for characteristic and aim, is in the first instance the rational will in general, or implicit Idea, and

In what sense I am not a Thomist, a work in progress

2009-03-31T00:45:00.006-05:00

The "24 Theses" of Thomas Aquinas have always bothered me.These theses, promulgated by the Sacred Congregation of Studies in 1914 during the pontificate of Pius X have traditionally (of course, in a neo-traditional sense) been given as the central theses of the philosophical teaching of Aquinas, especially in the metaphysical realm.I can of course not fault the intention of The Church: "We

The Feast of the Annunciation

2009-03-29T23:33:00.003-05:00

Though it is tardy, where Our Lady is concerned, it is better to honor her later, rather than never. In light of this, I attach a homily that John Paul II gave on the feast of the annunciation in the Great Jubilee in the year of Our Lord 2000 at the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. May God bless you all, and Our Lady keep you! Theotokos, Save Us!“Behold the handmaid of the Lord. Be it

Pragmatic question: getting things published

2009-03-26T01:40:00.002-05:00

I found this quote in a combox on the Leiter philosophy blog; it seems right to me. "I think pragmatism is very important to success at publication. Know which journals publish what kinds of articles. Master the style of a philosophy article. Understand which topics are current. Know what literature you'll be expected to discuss if you write on a given topic. Don't try to say everything in one

Natural Right & Natural Law Or Do Men Have Rights?

2009-03-13T13:53:00.002-05:00

For anyone who might be interested, there is a primitive inquiry into the notion of right and its place in the Natural Law found here. Of course all thought and discourse would be appreciated. Pax.

De Veritate: Q. 1, a. 8

2009-03-09T19:25:00.003-05:00

Below is a summary that I quickly wrote up for a class I am taking on St. Thomas' De Veritate. This article can be found at the following web address: http://www.corpusthomisticum.org/qdv01.html. As will be seen in my summary, St. Thomas concludes this article in way that is surprising to me. Since I do not understand it I thought I would post my summary and raise the question for your

Ens Commune: A Summary

2009-02-28T18:14:00.004-06:00

This is a summary of my views of ens commune that I formed from my previous article and the resulting discussion. I suppose that some of this is a positive assertion against some of the claims that ho_mathetes made in the previous post. I would still like to respond directly to his position, but I thought it would be helpful to late out my position as a formal whole as well. In the pursuit of

Further Thoughts on Ens Commune

2009-02-21T21:05:00.009-06:00

This is in addendum to the previous discussion-- I am making this a new thread per FA's suggestion. First I want to review some things from the previous discussion for the sake of the continuity of my thought. Then some new ideas.The first thing I want to state once again is that ens commune 'est genus.' I think St. Thomas should be read formally here, i.e. putting ens commune in the order of

Will the Real St. Thomas Please Stand Up?

2009-02-13T17:30:00.002-06:00

A very intriguing textual question has arisen recently concerning St. Thomas' commentary on Aristotle's De Anima. I invite comments and clarifications, etc. This is somewhat tied to the inchoate stream of thought that is currently my term paper.First I will give the context: St. Thomas, in this opening chapter, is expositing Aristotle's prologue. He shows that first Aristotle wishes to render his

Theological Reflections on the Pope's recent activies

2009-02-11T18:02:00.003-06:00

This is not mine, but it's analysis is the most formally theological which I've seen, and I think deserves to be linked here. It's something like what I would like to write if I had the time.Why the Pope Had to Do What He Did.By Martin MosebachThe Catholic Church is experiencing an unprecedented moment in her recent history. A sacerdotal act of the Pope – the removal of the excommunication of

Ens Commune?

2009-02-08T14:30:00.003-06:00

My question is simple: What is ens commune?I believe that the/a key to understanding this idea lies in the text quoted from St. Thomas' Prooemium below. I will offer some initial thoughts and comments about the text below. I invite... no, rather I ask and urge you all to please add your thoughts to this discussion. This is for two reasons: First, I believe such a discussion is important and

Order of Investigation in the De Anima

2009-02-06T16:34:00.004-06:00

Aristotle gives the proper order of investigation in 415a 15-23: object, operation, power, soul. But in considering the intellect, he first considers the power (429a 10 – 430a 26), then its operation (430a 27 – 431a 4). Again, in considering the possible intellect, he first considers the power of the possible intellect (429a 10 – 429b 9), then its object (429b 10-23). Any thoughts?

The Relationship of the Higher and the Lower

2009-02-03T22:26:00.005-06:00

This article is meant to be a reflection upon the principle, "the higher cannot stand without the lower." In particular, I will examine this principle in light of Aristotle's first chapter of the Metaphysics. This examination will, please God, manifest this principle as both a principle of our knowing and of the created order of being itself. This article is not a defense, because I am not aware

Reflection Upon Error and Locke

2009-01-27T21:57:00.002-06:00

The paradoxes that arise in the course of a philosopher’s thought and the contradictions that entangle him, whether they are noticed or not, ought to be the principle of an investigation into the system proposed by any thinker. Because such difficulties arise in the attempt to propose a science or knowledge to other men (while perhaps in the case of recluses, it is merely to propose it to

Philosophical and Scientific Method:

2008-12-06T11:52:00.003-06:00

An Inquiry into the Question of InertiaYou will notice that there is much in this article that was taken from my previous post on the definition of motion. I decided to re-direct my ideas and focus on method, more than the actual question of motion and inertia. St. Thomas Aquinas makes a bold claim concerning Aristotle’s definition of motion saying, “And therefore it is wholly impossible to

An Open Letter to President-Elect Barack Obama

2008-11-20T12:05:00.003-06:00

We join Catholic bloggers in this joint statement.November 14, 2008 President-elect Barack Obama, As American Catholics, we, the undersigned, would like to reiterate the congratulations given to you by Pope Benedict XVI. We will be praying for you as you undertake the office of President of the United States. Wishing you much good will, we hope we will be able to work with you, your

On Teaching

2008-11-19T16:27:00.003-06:00

CF: St. Thomas, De Veritate, Q. 11, (the 'De Magistro'), a. 11. St. Thomas points out that a man acquires science because of the certain seeds of knowledge that are in him. These are the first concepts and first principles. These seeds contain in their power all other actual and more particular knowledges. Whence from this potency, knowledge is led into act in a man.2. However, St. Thomas

A Reflection Upon Intellectual Perfection and Method

2008-10-08T21:55:00.003-05:00

"In the older systems both the kind of man the teachers wished to produce and their motives for producing him were prescribed by the Tao---a norm to which the teachers themselves were subject and from which they claimed no liberty to depart. They did not cut men to some pattern they had chosen. They handed on what they had received: they initiated the young neophyte into the mastery of humanity

The Definition of Motion

2008-10-08T14:16:00.003-05:00

In the following essay I briefly explicate the definition of motion as given by Aristotle. This is an excerpt from a larger work that has been modified to stand on its own. This will be the first in a series of articles that is concerned with motion. In particular we will discuss inertia and its validity as a principle, especially in light of the definition of motion and the principle, "omnia

Thoughts requested on term paper on F. Bacon

2008-09-17T06:26:00.007-05:00

I intend to cover this topic in my term paper for my class "Bacon and the Mastery of Nature." I would like to know what you all think...It is granted by some that a speculative science takes part of its formality from the form of its object. Whence only if the object so known lends itself also to the use of practical reason can a speculative science inform a practical science. I take that an

Ens v. Esse: Quae est primum cogonoscetur?

2008-09-16T15:26:00.005-05:00

Amongst Thomists, there is a discussion, almost a dichotomy, as to what falls first into the intellect. This is a valuable and important question. It seems the veracity of all scientific and philosophic inquiries are ultimately dependent on how it is that we know. Now, it should be made clear that this is in no way an essay. The appropriate research, therefore, that accompanies research and

Questions on Inertial Motion

2008-09-13T19:20:00.006-05:00

I am looking for some help as I am mulling over inertial motion. Taking Aristotle's definition of motion and Newton's account of inertial motion, there seems to be an inherent contradiction. In analyzing the account of inertial motion, I am struck by Galileo's thought experiment of the sphere rolling down a plane on one side across the floor and up similarly inclined plane on the other. He

Upcoming Symposium on Aristotle's First Mover

2008-09-13T10:48:00.003-05:00

Here is a proposed itinerary for an upcoming symposium on the nature of Aristotle's First Mover. Since these questions were prompted by recent claims that St. Thomas in his commentaries imposes his own philosophy/theology on the texts of Aristotle, this discussion will concern the text of Aristotle itself. Any comments will be appreciated!Questions:1) Does the First Mover move by final cause

There and Back Again:

2008-07-23T23:42:00.011-05:00

A Metaphysical Journey from Multiplicity of Understanding to the Unity of God's Essence, Back to Multiplicity in Creatures.In this article I trace the movement from multiplicity to unity in our attempt to understand the immanent operations of God, and then show how the very account of that unity allows for and is the cause of multiplicity. Then, as regards the latter, I give an account not only

Thoughts, please.

2008-06-08T23:52:00.007-05:00

I have a question regarding a property of artifacts. I was pondering this evening about one of the artifacts touched on in Physics II.1, vis. Antiphon's bed. While it is obviously true to say that it has its form qua artifact extrinsically, that is, from the artist, could it also further be said that if there was no one to use a bed, it would merely be shaped wood? In what way does the artificial

Angelic Knowledge of Human Actions

2008-06-08T21:36:00.004-05:00

The Angelic realm is dauntingly beyond our power to comprehend. We cannot dare to plunge, or should I say, soar into the depths of the spiritual realm without sure guidance. Fortunately we have grace, and St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Thomas, as in everything he does, treats of angels and angelic knowledge thoroughly and succinctly. However, since most of us lack the subtlety of St. Thomas, we tend to

Orationes Sanctis Angelis

2008-06-07T13:48:00.023-05:00

Here are some images and prayers to the holy angels:Prayers to Our Guardian Angel________________________________________From the Office for the feast of Guardian Angels (Oct. 2). This feast was first authorized by Pope Paul V in 1608.Sancti Angeli, custodes nostri, defendite nos in proelio, ut not pereamus in tremendo iudicio.V. In conspectu Angelorum psallam tibi, Deus meus.R. Adorabo ad

Accident of the Blog

2008-06-06T03:00:00.010-05:00

A doctor, when considered under the ratio merely of "man," is said accidentally to be the cause of health. Similarly, this blog, an accidental relation to its contributers, is accidentally made noteworthy when its members are promoted. And such is the case due to the happy coverage of a recent baptism by the prominent (at least in the Catholic blogosphere) priest Fr. Z in his blog "What Does the

Aquinas and Aristotle on the Reception of Form in the Sense of Sight

2008-06-02T16:12:00.010-05:00

An area of both classical and contemporary dispute in interpreting Aristotle’s theory of perception is with regard to how perception involves the sense-organ taking on the sensible form of the perceived object without its matter.[1] In this paper I will consider St. Thomas’ interpretation of Aristotle on this matter with regard particularly to the sense of sight.It is a noteworthy fact that

Labelers Labeling Well With Labels

2008-06-01T01:32:00.004-05:00

“She reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other, and she orders all things well.” (Wis 8:1)Since it belongs to wisdom to order and judge, and since we all, as is testified by the title we bear in this blog, are seekers of wisdom, it seemed to Vincentius and I that our labels needed some trimming and revision in order to dispose ourselves more readily to wisdom. Our thought is that a

Obiectum Formale

2008-06-01T01:27:00.012-05:00

This article will attempt to determine the formal object of Sacred Theology and to unify and order the seemingly disparate accounts of the same given by St. Thomas: the formal object is the light of divine revelation (ST Ia,q.1, a.3), God (ST Ia, q.1, a.7), and things that are immaterial in such a way as to never exist in matter (In Boetium De Trinitate, q.5, a.4).In q.1, a.3 of the Summa

The Queenship of Mary

2008-05-31T16:26:00.005-05:00

Neither human tongue nor angelic mind is able worthily to praise her through whom it is given to us to look clearly upon the Lord's glory. What then? Shall we be silent through fear of our insufficiency? Certainly not. Shall we be trespassers beyond our own boundaries, and freely handle ineffable mysteries, putting off all restraint? By no means. Mingling, rather, fear with desire, and weaving

Fides et Ratio in the Summa Theologiae

2008-05-29T22:03:00.003-05:00

When we study the preambles of faith in St. Thomas’ Summa Theologiae, we do not hold that such truths are simply inaccessible by human reason. Indeed, there can and should be a science of human reason dedicated to questions about the nature and principle(s) of being. Theology, then, has every right to presuppose the existence of such sciences and even use them when reflecting on revealed truths

Self Evident, But Incomplete

2008-05-23T21:42:00.014-05:00

Another Look at St. Anselm's Argument for the Existence of GodIn St. Anselm's Proslogion, he makes his famous and controversial argument for the existence of God. Whether or not one agrees or disagrees with this argument, in the end all can agree that it is hard to wrap one's mind about it, and in particular, to find the middle term. Below I will argue that the reason this difficulty arises is

Regina Caeli Laetare Alleuia

2008-04-06T14:31:00.008-05:00

An easter meditation, compliments of Rorate Caeli's blog and St. Vincent.The Most Blessed Mother of God, first witness of the Resurrection, as described in the wise words (Os justi meditabitur sapientiam...) of a joyful Paschal Sermon by the saint of the day, Saint Vincent Ferrer:[I]t is clear that [Our Lord] appeared to the Virgin Mother first, although the holy Evangelists are expressly silent

In Festo Sancti Thomae Aquinatis

2008-01-28T22:15:00.002-06:00

Intellectual Custom and the Study of St. Thomasby Ronald P. McArthur, Ph.D.The Dialogues of Plato contain so much about so many things that our difficulties mount when we try to find with exactitude the whole intent of any one of them. Many of them show, however, and some in a manner which forces itself upon us, the importance of appetite in what looks at first to be the sphere of disinterested

In Festo Nativitatis Domini

2007-12-26T10:05:00.000-06:00

Mystical Nativity - Sandro Botticelli(c. 1500)The Burning BabeRobert Southwell(1561-1595)As I in hoary winter's night stood shivering in the snow,Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear;Who, scorchëd with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shedAs though his

RES vs. ALIQUID: The Thing & The ...

2007-11-13T00:04:00.001-06:00

Venerable bretheren:Thank you all for the posts that have been given. I truly have learned much about this way and the different parts and concepts necessary for it However, there is something that I have been musing over that has given me some pause as to how to take the argument. It is Thomas' use of the words 'res' and 'aliquid'. Thomas only uses the noun 'res' in the first two sentences

In Festo Omnium Sanctorum

2007-10-31T21:53:00.001-05:00

A Sermon of St. Bernard on the Feast of All SaintsFor All the SaintsFor all the saints,who from their labors rest,Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.Alleluia, Alleluia!Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress and their Might;Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well fought fight;Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.Alleluia, Alleluia!For the

Effect of the Fourth Way, Part 1

2007-10-29T00:13:00.003-05:00

Fourth-Way-1-1a">Every argument for the existence of God proceeds from effects to their Cause.1 Some of St. Thomas' Five Ways proceed from sensibly manifest effects - such as motion, in the First Way - whereas the starting points of other Ways need arguments or manifestations to establish their existence or to clarify their proper natures before proceeding. The effect of the Fourth Way seems

In Festo Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Regis

2007-10-28T16:05:00.003-05:00

Christ in Majesty - Fra Angelico (c. 1395 – 1455)Te Saeculorum PrincipemTe saeculorum Principem, Te, Christe, Regem Gentium,Te mentium, Te cordium Unum fatemur arbitrum.Scelesta turba clamitat: Regnare Christum nolumus:Te nos ovantes omnium Regem supremum dicimus.O Christe, Princeps Pacifer, Mentes rebelles subiice:Tuoqu(e) amore devios, Ovil(e) in unum congrega.Ad hoc cruent(a) ab arbore, Pendes

Spectacular Free Art on Flickr

2007-10-26T02:10:00.001-05:00

Greetings Friends-The very excellent blog Novus Motus Liturgicus recently linked this excellent collection of religious images on Flickr. The prints are large, and while NML notes that they would be useful for liturgical programs, I think one could print them on high quality paper and hang it on the wall, IMO--They are that good.Enjoy!

Points of Order

2007-10-18T23:21:00.004-05:00

As blog owner, and lover of truth, I am pleased with the volume of discussion generated by one of the recent posts. Considering that: further discussion about the Highest Thing (quite obviously the highest in this case) is eminently worthwhile; the subject matter is, as Mathetes points out, extremely subtle; the interpretations of St. Thomas' argument among our group seem to be wildly different;

Happy Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila, Virgin, Doctor

2007-10-15T12:03:00.002-05:00

Happy Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila, Virgin, DoctorMonday, 15 October 2007, On the Memorial of her Transverberation of Heartb. 1515 d. 1582 Teresa of Avila was born a Spanish noble, the daughter of Don Alonso Sanchez de Cepeda and Doña Beatriz. She grew up reading the lives of the saints, and playing at "hermit" in the garden. Crippled by disease in her youth, which led to her being well

A Society Worth Investigating

2007-10-14T13:36:00.002-05:00

Hello Friends,Heard of this interesting new group this morning. Seems like there is much to like about them. I am curious about your opinions of it.I found their 'third principle' regarding The Commentator as strange- we are aware of Cajetan's misunderstandings about analogy. Moreover, the church certainly has not spoken of him as having authority likened to Thomas, and so I wonder if "

Possession and Gradation in the Fourth Way

2007-09-19T02:25:00.003-05:00

Aquinas in the Quarta Via argues that there must be something that is most true, best, etc. and most of all being. The reason for this is due to the fact that "magis et minus dicuntur de diversis secundum quod appropinquant diversimode ad aliquid quod maxime est, sicut magis calidum est, quod magis appropinquat maxime calido. "Why is it that more and less must be said with reference this sort of

A difficulty concering the role of the efficient cause in nature

2007-09-11T01:21:00.002-05:00

A recent difficulty was posed in an article entitled "Aquinas and Newton on the Causality of Nature and of God: The Medieval and Modern Problematic" by William Wallace, which I was assigned for a Natural Theology class I am taking. The article states a difficulty about the role of the efficient cause in nature I was hoping to get some help resolving.He argues, in conformity to Physics II.2, that

Tafelmusik

2007-09-05T03:49:00.001-05:00

Dull sublunary lovers’ loveA deuely dele in my heart dennedHe dein’d cam with wind wavis stilleWith heart whose love twas innocentGlad Hesper o’er buried Phob'Shone forth bout wan

A Consideration of Thought in an Atypical Forum

2007-09-04T01:19:00.002-05:00

The following is a re-articulation of an online dialectic I gave for the existence of concepts as part of the experience of 'thought.' It was given to an unusual audience of self-described material atheists and agnostics within a very casual forum. It is “just an introduction to my ideas of mind and concepts” to such an audience and I was not interested in pointing out the scientific (or

On The Dignity Of The Human Person

2007-08-28T19:18:00.002-05:00

When considering the dignity of man, or specifically, the dignity of the human person, it is important to understand that such a notion is not a first principle and that this dignity must arise from what it is to be a human person. If this is not done, then the phrase loses all meaning and relevancy, and becomes like an anchorless boat in the harbor, carried on the tide of human emotion and

Unwilling Martyrs?

2007-08-19T20:29:00.002-05:00

The Church has long celebrated the Holy Innocents as martrys slain for the sake of Christ. The Collect of the Missa "Ex Ore Infantium" on their Feast Day is sufficient to show the Church's position in this regard:O God, whose praise the martyred Innocents on this day confessed, not by speaking, but by dying: destroy in us all the evils of sin, that our life also may proclaim in deeds Thy faith

The Division of Sciences and Galileo's De Motu Locali

2007-07-30T23:51:00.002-05:00

For anyone interested in philosophy of science, here's a paper on how to classify Galileo's science of local motion according to the principles of St. Thomas laid out in his commentary on Boethius' De Trinitate.

Nativity vs. Adoration - Part 3

2007-07-12T00:02:00.002-05:00

Discovering why St. Luke spends so much time describing the Nativity, when according to St. Thomas his main purpose is extolling the priesthood of Christ, involves looking at the details of the Evangelist's account:St. Luke begins by noting the occasion of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem: a world-wide census. Why record this detail? The Tradition tells us that the enrollment is a figure