Tag: Aristotle

by brendansiemiawski

Knowledge And Wisdom Part 1

In the Catholic intellectual tradition, philosophy has traditionally been referred to as the “handmaid” of theology. The reason for this is that philosophical truths rooted in our human nature and the natural world give credence to something that is more than merely human or natural; that is, the divine. Hence, philosophy is something which those who believe in God can profit from studying. Traditional philosophical reasoning always leads to the divine; more practically, its truths can be used to engage with nearly any other person regardless of their beliefs. This is why I believe it is important for us to … Continue reading “Knowledge And Wisdom Part 1” →

by Z S

Divine Revelation in the Epistemology of Maimonides

In a previous article, I wrote about the centrality of the divine to Socrates’ epistemology. Here, I will discuss the source of prophecy in Maimonides’ epistemology. Over a millennium after Socrates, Maimonides echoes similar sentiments in his discourse on prophets in Book Two of The Guide for the Perplexed. He writes with the Aristotelian methodology prevalent in Egypt at his time to conclude that a man can be perfectly well-read and even have great character yet still not attain the status of prophet. Maimonides points out that knowledge and other forms of human wisdom, while necessary, are not sufficient to … Continue reading “Divine Revelation in the Epistemology of Maimonides” →

by Jacob Zelion

Rediscovering Lost Horizons

Rediscovering the relationship between faith and reason is necessary for understanding and engaging with the atmosphere of our times. Indeed, it has been the church’s constant tradition to show those outside its fold how they possess vague glimpses of what the church teaches, believes, and confesses. However, before analyzing the relationship between faith and reason, we must know what faith and reason are. For through understanding the two terms we can better understand the nuances and particularities of their relationship. The moderns have often overlooked the dual nature of reason: intellectus and ratio. D. C. Schindler points out that the … Continue reading “Rediscovering Lost Horizons” →

by Jacob Zelion

Quo Vadis Thomistice?

After considerable reflection I must agree that, despite the wisdom of certain finer points of St. Bonaventure, St. Thomas truly represents the highest point of philosophy and theology and is, in this capacity, the most effective response to modern challenges. I found out that St. Thomas held positions on faith and philosophy which I thought he had totally rejected: the extrinsic influence of the faith on philosophy, the metaphysical doctrine of the divine ideas and participatory metaphysics, mystical knowledge of God, and monarchism. Aquinas is called the Common Doctor for a very good reason. He was not a wild innovator … Continue reading “Quo Vadis Thomistice?” →

by Daniel Sutkowski

Simplicity and Thanksgiving

Thomas_Cole_painting

Thanksgiving is soon approaching and there is so much good food to look forward to in the upcoming days. Thanksgiving, much like the Sabbath, is a day on which we rest and look back on all that we are grateful for. Yet despite the myriad of things that we can say we are truly glad to have in our lives, there are still things that nag at us underneath the surface. This nagging can take the form of planning out your shopping run for Black Friday, causing you to plan and stress when you should be enjoying the smoked ham … Continue reading “Simplicity and Thanksgiving” →