Thomas Aquinas: His Personality and Thought PDF
Preview Thomas Aquinas: His Personality and Thought
T H O M A S AQUINAS His Personality and Thought Martin Grabmann THOMAS AQUINAS THOMAS AQUINAS Hi.r Personality and Thought By DR. MARTIN GRABMANN AUTHORIZED TRANSLATION By VIRGIL MICHEL, O.S.B., Ptt.D. NEW YORK RUSSELL & RUSSELL I 9 6 3 · INC �ibil cetu�tat: ARTHUR J. SCANLAN, S.T.D., 3Jmprimatur: �PATRICK CARDINAL HAYES, New rork, July 3 I, Censor Librorum Archbishop, New rork I 928 FIRST PUBLISHED IN I REISSUED, 1963, BY 928 RUSSELL & RUSSELL, INC. L. C. CATALOG CARD NO: 63-15100 MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE HE translation of this book was undertaken as a labor of love. As the work progressed, the love never diminished though the labor increased beyond all expectation. That the translation was undertaken at all was due to the belief that a small introductory volume, written by the foremost Thomistic student and research scholar of modern times, should be a welcome addition to the growing body of English literature on what has been called the Scholastic Revival of our day. In verifying the numerous texts quoted from the works of St. Thomas, it was necessary to compare the German translation with the original Latin and with available English translations. It has been the translator's endeavor to give an English version that most faithfully renders the thought of Thomas. Whether the result is a more intelligible expression of that thought, others must j udge. While the non- v THOMAS AQUINAS Scholastic mind is probably not set for the task of translating any part of St. Thomas, the modern Scholastic is very prone to read into his words variations of meaning that have developed in Scholastic tradition only after the thirteenth century. Where on a few occasions the German texts of Dr. Grabmann contained elucidating terms or phrases, rendering the thought of St. Thomas more clear to the modern mind, the translator followed suit, since there is probably no living scholar better versed in the study of St. Thomas and of Scholastic sources than Dr. Grabmann. It is scarcely necessary to state that the present pages constitute a mere introduction to the philosophy of St. Thomas. They are consequently quite inadequate for a full appraisal of the true value of his thought. Still, many may find neither time nor leisure to go beyond such an introductory work. Is it presumptuous to remind them that in judging the thought of another there is no acceptable criterion that does not try to be whrlly objective? It is the simplest things that are most true and at times most in need of emphasis. Hence it may be pardonable to suggest to non-Thomistic readers that inability to accept one or both premises of an argument is not of itself an unfailing indication that the statement given as conclusion is false ; and to remind readers sympathetic to St. Thomas that belief in a conclusion is vi TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE of itself no guarantee that the premises or the reasoning are therefore beyond all cavil. While the work of translation was going on, the original appeared in its fifth revised edition. The many small changes and additions, necessitated by the historical research carried on so vigorously today especially in Scholastic sources, have been embodied in the present volume. An acknowledgment of thanks to the Reverend Dr. Gerald B. Phelan of St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, scarcely suffices to indicate either the patient care with which he rea:d the translated manuscript or the numerous corrections resulting therefrom. Many improvements in language and in more accurate rendition are due to his valuable suggestions. V. M. vii CONTENTS CHAPTER TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE PAGE v PAR'T ONE: PERSONALI'TY OF S'T. 'THOMAS I. LIFE OF ST. THOMAS I II. LITERARY LABORS OF ST. THOMAS I 8 III. ST. THOMAS AS SCHOLAR 28 IV. SOURCES OF THOMISTIC THOUGHT 53 V. STRUGGLE FOR LEADERSHIP IN SCHOLASTIC THOUGHT PAR'T 'TWO: 57 'THE 'T HOMIS'TJC SYNTHESIS VI. THOUGHT AND BEING. FAITH AND KNOWL- EDGE VII. Ex 1STENCE AND EssENCE OF Goo VIII. GoD AND THE WoRLD IX. NATURE OF THE HuMAN SouL 68 97 no 122 x. INTELLECTUAL KNOWLEDGE OF MAN 136 XI. SYSTEM OF ETHICS I 50 XII. POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PHILOSOPHY 16I XIII. THOUGHTS ON CHRISTIANITY AND THE �U�H XIV. CONCLUSION: METHOD OF ACQUIRING 1n A SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THOMAS AQUINAS ix 1 82
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