Combining Texts

All the ideas for 'Summa', 'Realism and Anti-Realism' and 'Summa Contra Gentiles'

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6 ideas

1. Philosophy / A. Wisdom / 2. Wise People
22115 Wise people should contemplate and discuss the truth, and fight against falsehood [Aquinas]
     Full Idea: The role of the wise person is to meditate on the truth, especially the truth regarding the first principle, and to discuss it with others, but also to fight against the falsity that is its contrary.
     From: Thomas Aquinas (Summa Contra Gentiles [1268], I.1.6), quoted by Kretzmann/Stump - Aquinas, Thomas 14
     A reaction: So nice to hear someone (from no matter how long ago) saying that wisdom is concerned with truth. If you lose your grip on truth (which many thinkers seem to have done) you must also abandon wisdom. Then fools rule.
7. Existence / D. Theories of Reality / 2. Realism
15049 Metaphysical realists are committed to all unambiguous statements being true or not true [Dummett]
     Full Idea: The anti-realist view undercuts the ground for accepting bivalence. ...Acceptance of bivalence should not be taken as a sufficient condition for realism. ..They accept the weaker principle that unambiguous statements are determinately true or not true.
     From: Michael Dummett (Realism and Anti-Realism [1992], p.467)
     A reaction: [cited by Kit Fine, when discussing anti-realism] I take it be quite an important component of realism that there might be facts which will never be expressed, or are even beyond our capacity to grasp or express them
9. Objects / B. Unity of Objects / 2. Substance / c. Types of substance
16616 Substances 'substand' (beneath accidents), or 'subsist' (independently) [Eustachius]
     Full Idea: It is proper to substance both to stretch out or exist beneath accidents, which is to substand, and to exist per se and not in another, which is to subsist.
     From: Eustachius a Sancto Paulo (Summa [1609], I.1.3b.1.2), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 06.2
     A reaction: This reflects Aristotle wavering between 'ousia' being the whole of a thing, or the substrate of a thing. In current discussion, 'substance' still wavers between a thing which 'is' a substance, and substance being the essence.
9. Objects / C. Structure of Objects / 2. Hylomorphism / a. Hylomorphism
16585 Prime matter is free of all forms, but has the potential for all forms [Eustachius]
     Full Idea: Everyone says that prime matter, considered in itself, is free of all forms and at the same time is open to all forms - or, that matter is in potentiality to all forms.
     From: Eustachius a Sancto Paulo (Summa [1609], III.1.1.2.3), quoted by Robert Pasnau - Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 03.1
     A reaction: This is the notorious doctrine developed to support the hylomorphic picture derived from Aristotle. No one could quite figure out what prime matter was, so it faded away.
17. Mind and Body / A. Mind-Body Dualism / 4. Occasionalism
20700 Without God's influence every operation would stop, so God causes everything [Aquinas]
     Full Idea: If God's divine influence stopped, every operation would stop. Every operation, therefore, of everything is traced back to him as cause.
     From: Thomas Aquinas (Summa Contra Gentiles [1268], III.67), quoted by Brian Davies - Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion 3 'Freedom'
     A reaction: If the systematic interraction of mind and body counts as an 'operation', then this seems to imply Occasionalism.
27. Natural Reality / D. Time / 1. Nature of Time / f. Eternalism
15202 Eternity coexists with passing time, as the centre of a circle coexists with its circumference [Aquinas]
     Full Idea: The centre of a circle is directly opposite any designated point on the circumference. In this way, whatever is in any part of time coexists with what is eternal as being present to it even though past or future with respect to another part of time.
     From: Thomas Aquinas (Summa Contra Gentiles [1268], I.66), quoted by Robin Le Poidevin - Past, Present and Future of Debate about Tense 2 c
     A reaction: A nice example of a really cool analogy which almost gets you to accept something which is actually completely incomprehensible.