Talk with Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas was a theologian and philosopher who lived in the 13th century. He is considered one of the Catholic Church’s greatest theologians and philosophers. Aquinas is perhaps best known for his writing the Summa Theologica, which is considered among the most comprehensive presentations of the theology of the Catholic Church. His work has had a significant influence on both Christian theology and the philosophy of the modern Western world. He was canonized as a saint in 1323, and is often referred to as the "Angelic Doctor."

Saint Thomas Aquinas had a profound influence on later philosophers, especially within the realms of metaphysics, morality, epistemology, and theology. His works and ideas have built foundational thoughts for many schools of philosophy and countless philosophers throughout the ages.

Aquinas' synthesis of faith and reason, and of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology, set important precedents for Christian philosophical and religious inquiry. He demonstrated how faith does not necessarily conflict with reason, thus succeeding in blending together the realms of philosophy and theology (Scholasticism), which influenced later philosophers like Descartes, Leibniz, and Pascal.

His theories around natural law and morality have had a significant impact in the field of ethics. His belief that morality should be guided by reason was adopted by certain Enlightenment philosophers and continues to be influential today, forming the backbone of deontological ethical theories.

Aquinas’s “Five Ways” (Quinque Viae) are still regarded as compelling proofs for the existence of God and have influenced a swath of believers and philosophers alike. Cartesian philosophers, in particular, were influenced by his work. Descartes himself adopted aspects of Aquinas’s arguments while developing his theory of dualism.

In addition, Aquinas's teachings on the nature of knowledge and thought (his epistemology) influenced later analytical and western philosophers. His doctrine of analogy shaped how we speak about and understand metaphysical concepts, influenced the work of philosophers like John Duns Scotus and modern philosopher-analogists.

The influence of Aquinas does not stay within the Christian or religious philosophers. His discussion about the union of Aristotle's philosophy and Christian thought sparked a revival of Aristotelianism in the Middle Ages. Many secular philosophers adopted and developed Aristotelian concepts thanks to Aquinas. His influence can be found in the works of Immanuel Kant, Hegel, and even existentialists like Martin Heidegger.

In summary, Aquinas’s integration of Christian faith with classical philosophy, especially Aristotelianism, has shaped much of Western philosophy and continues to have a powerful influence on both religious and secular philosophical thinking today.

Saint Thomas Aquinas proposed five proofs, or five ways, for the existence of God in his most famous work, the Summa Theologica. These arguments are grounded in an empirical examination of the world, rather than abstract, a priori philosophical arguments.

1. Argument from Motion: Aquinas argued that everything in the universe is in motion or change. This motion, he believed, must have been set in motion by something else. However, to avoid an infinite regress, there must be an 'Unmoved Mover', which is God.

2. Argument from Efficient Causes: This argument states that nothing can be the efficient cause of itself. If it were, it would have had to exist before it existed, which is impossible. Like the first way, Aquinas argues that to avoid an infinite chain of causes, there must be a first cause, namely God.

3. Argument from Possibility and Necessity: Aquinas argued that given the contingent nature of the universe, there are things which may either exist or not exist. However, if it were the case that everything in the universe were contingent, then at some point there would be nothing. But, since things do exist, there must be at least one necessary being that caused these contingent things, and this being he refers to as God.

4. Argument from Gradations of Goodness: Aquinas observed that things in the world can be compared to each other in terms of degrees of qualities such as truth, goodness, and nobility. According to him, these gradations imply a "utmost" or "maximum"; a benchmark by which all such qualities are measured. This "maximum" is God.

5. Argument from Design: Aquinas reasoned that unintelligent objects in the world behave in a regular manner, which implies that an intelligent being must guide them towards their end. This intelligent being, Aquinas concluded, is God.

These are the "Five Ways" defined by Saint Thomas Aquinas as proofs for the existence of God.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the most significant medieval philosophers and theologians, developed a synthesis of religion and logic primarily through his major work, "Summa Theologica". He aimed to reconcile faith with reason, demonstrating that these two dimensions of human existence could coexist harmoniously.

Aquinas identified "reason" as a gift from God that should be utilized in the investigation and understanding of God's nature and the physical universe. He forwarded the concept of "Natural Theology," in which God can be logically proven to exist through aspects of the natural world and human reason. On the other hand, he also accepted the realm of "Divine Revelation" or "Supernatural Theology," wherein truths about God are accepted purely by faith because they are beyond human comprehension. For example, while the existence of God can be reasoned, the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is a mystery accepted by faith.

Therefore, Aquinas didn't see religion and logic as binary opposites, but instead viewed them as complementary. He considered both faith and reason as vital instruments in understanding and exploring the divine and the natural world. While he believed that certain divine truths are beyond human understanding and can be known only through faith, he also maintained that there is a part of divine wisdom that human intellect can grasp and it should endeavour to do so.

Thomas Aquinas had a complex and developed understanding of the Trinity as the heart of Christian faith. Aquinas affirmed God as a trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In his masterwork, the Summa Theologica, Aquinas used a mix of philosophical reasoning and biblical analysis to detail his perspective.

First, Aquinas maintained the central theological point that there is only one God, but within the life of the one God, there is a relation of three persons. This is not a contradiction for Aquinas because he made a careful distinction between the essence of God (what God is: one divine nature) and the relations within God (Father to Son, Son to Father, and their spiration of the Holy Spirit).

Second, he analyzed this understanding using Aristotelian categories of substance and relation (essence and personhood). For Aquinas, God's one essence subsists in three relations. The Father is unbegotten, the Son is begotten of the Father, and the Holy Spirit proceeds from both. These are eternal, interdependent relationships—without beginning or end.

Third, Aquinas connected each person of the Trinity with a unique operation: The Father with creation, the Son with redemption, and the Holy Spirit with sanctification. However, because all three are one in essence, Aquinas reasoned that all three persons are involved in every operation.

Throughout, Aquinas affirmed the mystery of the Trinity. While he believed human reason can affirm the possibility and existence of the Trinity, the specifics of Trinitarian life are a divine mystery ultimately known only through divine revelation.

Saint Thomas Aquinas studied theology at the University of Paris in France, which was one of the leading centers of learning in Medieval Europe. Prior to his studies at the University of Paris, Aquinas was first educated at the Abbey of Monte Cassino, then at the University of Naples. However, it was in Paris where Aquinas came under the influence of the Dominican theologian Albertus Magnus, and where he produced some of his most profound theological work.

Saint Thomas Aquinas examined the nature of fear in detail within his larger body of work. Based on the principles of Aristotelian philosophy, Aquinas described fear as inherently linked to love, given that a person only fears losing what they love. He further expounded on this by arguing we only fear things that threaten what we love, revealing the intimate relationship between these two emotions.

Aside from this connection with love, Aquinas' discussion on fear is also found under his exploration of the passions or emotions in his Summa Theologica. He categorizes fear as an emotion and distinguishes between two different types of fear: worldly fear and servile fear, in relation to God.

Worldly fear is fear of losing some temporal good of the world, which can be sinful if it leads one away from the good things of God. Servile fear, on the other hand, is fear of punishment for sin. While this type of fear is a beginning, Aquinas suggests it should lead one to grow in love of God, moving one from servile fear to filial fear.

The latter refers to the fear of offending or being separated from someone loved. In the case of God, filial fear is considered a higher form of fear because it comes out of love and respect for God, rather than just fear of punishment.

Thus, Aquinas's understanding of fear is complex and unique, revealing a deep understanding of human psychology and morality.

Saint Thomas Aquinas actually never became a monk, he was a friar. He joined the Dominican Order, a mendicant order not a monastic one, at around the age of 19, in 1244. Unlike monks who live in enclosed communities, the friars of Dominican Order travelled among the people, preaching, teaching, and serving the poor. Aquinas was particularly noted for his vast knowledge and his prolific works that combined classical philosophy with Christian theology. His philosophical and theological teachings have remained very influential to this day.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, one of the most influential philosophers and theologians of the Medieval period, had a profound belief in the harmony of faith and reason. He saw them not as opposing forces, but as complementary paths to truth.

According to Aquinas, faith and reason are two ways we come to know the truth about God. Reason is the natural ability of the human intellect to understand the world, while faith is the supernatural gift given by God that allows us to understand truths beyond the natural reach of reason, particularly those revealed in Scripture.

In his view, reason is capable of understanding certain things about God, such as God’s existence which Aquinas sought to prove through his famous "Five Ways". However, reason alone, in Aquinas's view, cannot lead one to a complete knowledge of God or understanding of spiritual matters – for this, faith is needed.

So, faith and reason are separate but entwined means of finding truth. Faith, according to Aquinas, does not contradict reason; instead, it transcends it – it gives us access to truths that reason alone cannot reach but it doesn't go against reason.

This idea became foundational to much of Catholic theology, encapsulated in the phrase "fides et ratio," or "faith and reason." The idea that faith and reason can work in harmony to lead to deeper understanding and truth would have a profound effect on future Catholic thought and remains influential today.

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