Santo Tomás de Aquino

Unboxing Philosophy

20 Dec 201507:55

Summary

TLDRThe video script humorously explores the life and philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas, a prominent theologian and philosopher. Born into nobility, Thomas was drawn to the Dominican Order, embracing poverty despite his wealthy background. His fascination with Aristotle led to a harmonious view of faith and reason, where theology and philosophy coexist without conflict. Thomas is known for his 'Five Ways' to rationally prove God's existence, reinterpreting Aristotelian concepts to align with Christian doctrine. His work, particularly the 'Summa Theologica,' became a cornerstone of Catholic theology, influencing historical discourse on the relationship between faith and reason.

Takeaways

📚 Thomas Aquinas was born in an Italian town near Naples and was fascinated by Aristotle's teachings during his university studies.
🏰 Despite coming from a wealthy family, Thomas chose a life of poverty by joining the Dominican Order, which greatly upset his parents.
🎓 He excelled academically, studying in Paris, and later became a professor, focusing on the harmonious relationship between faith and reason.
🤔 Thomas believed that theology and philosophy should not be in conflict but rather complement each other, each dealing with different aspects of knowledge.
🧐 He engaged with the medieval debate on universals, advocating a moderate realism that concepts like 'humanity' are abstracted from observed reality, not existing independently.
📖 Pope Gregory IX encouraged Thomas to write 'Summa contra Gentiles' to address non-Christians, which Thomas used to outline key theological issues.
🔍 In 'Summa Theologica', Thomas attempted to rationally prove the existence of God using five proofs or 'ways', aligning Aristotelian concepts with Christian doctrine.
🌐 Thomas's 'Five Ways' start from observable phenomena to logically deduce the existence of a supreme being, God, without relying solely on faith.
🔄 His first three ways focus on motion, causality, and contingency in the world, suggesting an unmoved mover or a necessary being as the explanation for existence.
🌟 The fourth and fifth ways argue for the existence of a most perfect being and an intelligent orderer of the universe, respectively, as the ultimate sources of perfection and order.
🏛 Thomas Aquinas's synthesis of Aristotelian philosophy and Christian theology became highly influential, shaping Catholic thought for centuries.

Q & A

Where was Thomas Aquinas born?
-Thomas Aquinas was born in a small Italian town near Naples, not in a place called 'Aquino' as the joke in the transcript suggests.
What did Thomas Aquinas study at university?
-Thomas Aquinas studied Aristotle at university and was fascinated by his works.
What was Thomas Aquinas' family background?
-Thomas Aquinas came from a noble family, which was quite wealthy.
Why did Thomas Aquinas join the Dominican Order?
-Despite his family's wealth, Thomas Aquinas chose to join the Dominican Order, which embraced poverty, as he was not interested in riches or worldly pleasures.
What did Thomas Aquinas' parents do to dissuade him from his religious path?
-His parents, unhappy with his decision, had him kidnapped by his brothers and locked in a castle to change his mind.
What was the topic Thomas Aquinas dealt with at the University of Paris?
-Thomas Aquinas dealt with the relationship between faith and reason at the University of Paris, arguing that they should be harmonious and assist each other.
What was the medieval debate about universals?
-The debate about universals was whether abstract concepts like 'humanity' exist independently or only in concrete and singular subjects.
What is the term for Thomas Aquinas' position on universals?
-Thomas Aquinas' position on universals is called moderate realism, which states that universals are not independently real but are concepts we access through abstraction.
What was the purpose of Thomas Aquinas' 'Summa Contra Gentiles'?
-The 'Summa Contra Gentiles' was written by Thomas Aquinas as a manual for his students to address major questions about God and to demonstrate rationally the existence of God.
How does Thomas Aquinas reinterpret Aristotle's concept of the 'unmoved mover'?
-Thomas Aquinas took Aristotle's concept of the 'unmoved mover' and adapted it to Christian precepts, transforming it into a personal, creator God.
What are the five ways Thomas Aquinas uses to demonstrate the existence of God?
-The five ways, or 'quinque viae', are logical processes based on observable data to rationally establish the existence of a supreme being, which is God.
What is the significance of Thomas Aquinas' philosophical and theological work in the history of the Catholic Church?
-Thomas Aquinas' work was considered the official theology and philosophy of the Catholic Church for a long time, giving it great historical relevance.

Outlines

00:00

📚 The Life and Studies of Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas was born near Naples and studied Aristotle at university, becoming fascinated with his ideas. Despite being from a wealthy family, he chose a life of poverty by joining the Dominican Order, much to his family's dismay. His family even tried to kidnap him to change his mind, but Thomas remained committed to his path. He became a brilliant student and teacher, especially known for his work on the relationship between faith and reason. He argued that faith and reason are harmonious, each addressing different realms—faith for the supernatural and reason for the natural world. His moderate realism distinguished between concepts and their existence in the physical world, denying the independent existence of universals.

05:02

🛤️ The Five Ways of Proving God's Existence

Thomas Aquinas's most notable work is his 'Five Ways,' which are logical arguments for the existence of God. These ways are based on observable facts about the world. The first way argues that everything in motion is moved by something else, leading to the necessity of a 'Prime Mover'—God. The second way discusses causality, stating that nothing can cause itself and that there must be a first cause—God. The third way introduces the concept of contingency, arguing that while many things might not exist, a necessary being—God—must exist to ensure the universe's existence. The fourth way focuses on varying degrees of perfection in the world, implying the existence of an ultimate perfection—God. Lastly, the fifth way highlights the order in nature, attributing it to an intelligent being—God. These philosophical ideas were foundational to Catholic theology and sought to demonstrate rational grounds for faith in God.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas, also known as Tommaso d'Aquino, was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, Catholic priest, and Doctor of the Church. His importance in the video is paramount as it revolves around his philosophical and theological contributions. He is noted for his attempt to reconcile reason and faith, as well as his work on the nature of God and existence.

💡Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and scientist, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. In the video, Thomas Aquinas is depicted as being fascinated by Aristotle's works, particularly his ideas on metaphysics and natural philosophy, which Aquinas sought to integrate with Christian theology.

💡University of Paris

The University of Paris, or La Sorbonne as it was also known, was a medieval institution where Aquinas studied and later taught. It was a center of learning during the Middle Ages and is highlighted in the video as a place where Aquinas developed his philosophical and theological ideas.

💡Faith and Reason

The relationship between faith and reason is a central theme in the video, reflecting Aquinas's belief that they should be harmonious and complementary. He argued that theology, which deals with the supernatural, and philosophy, which studies natural phenomena, should not be in conflict but rather support each other.

💡Universals

Universals are abstract concepts or ideas that supposedly represent the essential characteristics of a class of things. The video discusses the philosophical debate over universals, with Aquinas siding with a moderate form of realism, suggesting that universals exist in the mind as abstractions from particular things.

💡Realism

In the context of the video, realism refers to the philosophical stance that universals have a real existence outside of the mind, but not as separate entities. Aquinas's moderate realism posits that universals are abstractions from particular things, thus existing in a way that is both real and dependent on individual instances.

💡Summa Contra Gentiles

Summa Contra Gentiles is one of Aquinas's major works mentioned in the video. It is a comprehensive work intended to demonstrate the rationality of the Christian faith to non-believers, using philosophical arguments to support theological claims.

💡Summa Theologica

Summa Theologica is another significant work by Aquinas, referred to in the video. It is a massive systematic theology that covers a vast range of topics, including the existence and nature of God, the soul, and ethics, and is considered a cornerstone of Western thought.

💡Five Ways (Quinque Viae)

The Five Ways are Aquinas's philosophical proofs for the existence of God, outlined in the Summa Theologica. Each 'way' is a different argument based on observable phenomena that lead to the conclusion of a necessary first cause or unmoved mover, which he identifies with God.

💡Aristotelianism

Aristotelianism refers to the philosophical tradition based on the works of Aristotle. The video emphasizes Aquinas's adaptation of Aristotelian concepts, such as motion and causality, to fit within a Christian framework, leading to a more personal and creative conception of God.

Highlights

Tomás de Aquino was born in a small Italian town near Nápoles.

He studied Aristotle at university and was fascinated by his ideas.

Tomás came from a noble family but chose to join a religious order embracing poverty.

His parents were upset about his decision and tried to convince him to change his mind.

Despite temptations, Tomás remained committed to his religious path.

He became a Dominican and continued his studies on Aristotle.

Tomás went to the University of Paris, studying and later teaching.

He discussed the harmonious relationship between faith and reason.

Theology and philosophy have distinct purposes and should not be in conflict.

Medieval thinkers were concerned with the nature of universals.

Realists believed universals had a separate existence, while Aristotelians argued they did not.

Tomás de Aquino proposed a moderate realism about universals.

Pope Gregorio IX asked Tomás to write 'Summa contra Gentiles' to educate others about Christian beliefs.

In 'Summa Theologica', Tomás addressed key questions about God.

He aimed to rationally prove the existence of God through five ways.

The first way starts with observable movement in the world.

The second way considers that everything has a cause.

The third way discusses contingent beings that might not exist.

The fourth way argues for the existence of the most perfect being.

The fifth way observes the order in the universe and suggests the need for an intelligent director.

Tomás's thought became the official theology and philosophy of the Catholic Church.

His work remains historically significant and relevant to philosophical and theological discussions.