St. Thomas Aquinas, Kenneth L. Schmitz
St. Thomas Aquinas, Kenneth L. Schmitz
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St. Thomas Aquinas

Author: Kenneth L. Schmitz

Narrator: Charlton Heston

Unabridged: 2 hr 4 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/05/2006


Synopsis

In the late 13th century, this quiet reflective Dominican scholar concentrated his work on philosophical concerns that today would be considered to be partly theological. He combined the work of Aristotle with Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and pagan thought to reconcile reason and faith; he believed we can know that God exists, but not what god is like. Thomas's masterpiece, the Summa Theologiae (Summa Theologica), contains over 10,000 objections and replies to fundamental questions about God and the world. It enumerates virtues and vices, and it includes Thomas's famous "five ways" to prove God's existence, which are (1) the unmoved mover, (2) the uncaused cause, (3) the necessary being, (4) the perfect Goodness, and (5) the guiding intelligence. Thomas believed that God is absolutely simple, perfect, good, infinite, omnipresent, changeless, eternal, and unique. God is "Pure Subsistent Act of Being," continuously communicating the possibility of existence to all worldly creatures and objects. For Thomas, intellectual knowledge is a sign of the spirituality that energizes the human center. He saw the Bible as a substitute for the wisdom of a lifetime's study and learning. All in all, Thomas concluded that mortal happiness (felicity) is uncertain, but immortal happiness (beatitude) is the ultimate end of life; beatitude is to pass beyond death to "see the face of God."

About Kenneth L. Schmitz

Kenneth L. Schmitz is a fellow of Trinity College and professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Toronto. Professor Schmitz has taught at Loyola University of Los Angeles, Marquette University, Indiana University, and The Catholic University of America. Past president of the American Catholic Philosophical Association, the Metaphysical Society of America, and the Hegel Society of America, he was elected a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts in 1991.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brodie on September 27, 2020

Goodreads has a hard time accurately detailing books. So weird that it doesn’t integrate into audible considering they’re both Amazon companies. Anyway, this isn't two pages. I listened to the audiobook (read by Charles Heston!) and it’s a great introduction to Saint Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologic......more

Goodreads review by Nishant on May 16, 2018

Where knowledge stops... There is where love picks you up.......more

Goodreads review by Patrick on September 19, 2021

What this smaller-sized book does is provide a little bit of the life and times of Thomas Aquinas and some good coverage on the main contributions he made to philosophy. So if you're looking for more of a biography focus this one might not cover your need. With respect to covering the philosophy, th......more

Goodreads review by AttackGirl on July 14, 2021

Very limited information about Aquinas but very good information about the concepts of the human’s existence the ability to reason and will be a new topic if you are not familiar with Aristotle or Socrates. This is the first time I have heard of anything not being from God or an ultimate creator. So......more

Goodreads review by Kenneth on September 22, 2020

He wrote his first Summo of 36 questions, answers and objections in only four days? Here is one anecdote that points to St. Aquinas’ love of learning and his great intellect: “When St. Thomas Aquinas was asked by one of his brethren whether he would not like to be the owner of Paris, so that he could......more