Phil 43806: Aquinas on God

Phil 43806: Aquinas on God

Freddoso

Malloy 304/631-7327

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Purpose----Texts----Requirements---- Syllabus----Online Handouts----Next Paper Assignment

Purpose of Course: A close reading of the first 43 questions of the first book of the Summa Theologiae in a new and dazzling (well .... at least adequate) translation by the instructor. These questions, which deal both with the divine nature or essence and with the three divine persons, provide as comprehensive a survey of St. Thomas's metaphysics, philosophy of language, and philosophical anthropology as one could hope for, along with lots of enticing tidbits about logic (including modal logic), space and time, causality, numbers, and a whole host of minor topics that figure in the Christian understanding of God. But, more importantly, they exhibit how St. Thomas uses an impressive array of philosophical and theological tools in fashioning the central element of the Christian claim to wisdom.

Texts:

The text for the course can be found at /summa-translation/TOC-part1.htm
For those interested, the Latin text is available online at Index Corporis Thomistici, which is maintained by Prof. Enrique Alarcon of the University of Navarre, Spain. An alternate (though, needless to say, inferior) translation is available at the New Advent Website.
In addition, I am providing some supplementary material, along with class notes as available, on the course handout page.

Requirements:

Before the course begins, you are strongly encouraged to read parts 1.1, 1.2, and 2 (all) of my "Suarez on Metaphysical Inquiry, Efficient Causality, and Divine Action," as well as my classnotes on Aristotle and St. Thomas's metaphysics from Phil 30301. This is a refresher for 30301 and goes beyond what I do in 30301. Links to all this material are on the handout page.
Class Participation (25% of course grade). This consists of two separate things:

(a) You must submit to me by email, before 10:00AM on each class day, a question/comment based on the readings assigned for that day. (When we are spending more than one day on a given topic, I will give more specific instructions about which texts are relevant for a given class.) I expect the questions/comments to be well thought out and well articulated. They will serve as the starting point for my class comments on the day in question. (I pay close attention to the quality of these questions in determining the participation component of the grade.) (15% of course grade)

(b) Active and intelligent participation in seminar discussions. In general, student initiative and signs of self-motivation will be rewarded in this course. (10% of course grade)
Papers. You are required to write three 6-7 page papers, worth 75% of the course grade. These will be due on 10/1, 11/6, and 12/5. The topics will be assigned, though you have the option of writing on topics of your own choosing, as long as you clear the topics with me first. The papers in this course are meant to be primarily exegetical. That is, my main concern is that you understand what St. Thomas is arguing for and how exactly he argues for it.

Syllabus:

8/22: The nature of sacred doctrine: question 1, aa. 1-8

8/27: Sacred Scripture and the existence of a God: question 1, aa. 9-10 and question 2
8/29: Divine Simplicity, part 1: question 3, aa. 1-4
9/3: Divine Simplicity, part 2: question 3, aa. 5-8
9/5: God's perfection and goodness: questions 4-6
9/10: God's infinity and omnipresence: questions 7-8
9/12: God's immutability and eternity: questions 9-10

9/17: God's oneness: question 11

9/19: How we know God: The beatific vision: question 12, aa. 1-10

9/24: How we know God in this life: question 12, aa. 11-13
9/26: How we name God: pure perfections: question 13, aa. 1-7
10/1: God's proper names: question 13, aa. 11-12
10/3: God's knowledge of Himself: question 14, aa. 1-7 (paper due on the name 'God': question 13, aa. 8-10)
10/8: God's knowledge of things other than Himself: question 14, aa. 8-16 and question 15
10/10: Truth and falsity in God and creatures: questions 16-17

10/22: God's life: question 18

10/24: God's will, part 1: question 19, aa. 1-6

10/29: God's will, part 2: question 19, aa. 7-12
10/31: God's providence: question 22
11/5: Predestination and the 'book of life': questions 23-24 (paper due on God's love, justice, and mercy: questions 20-21)
11/7: God's power: question 25
11/12: God's beatitude: question 26
11/14: The Trinitarian processions and relations: questions 27-28

11/19: The three persons: question 29
11/26: Oneness and plurality in God: questions 30-31

11/28: Our cognition of the Trinity: question 32

12/3: Person, essence, and relation: questions 39-40

12/5: The notions and equality: questions 41-42

Never?: Mission possible (and impossible): question 43 (paper due on either (a) the Person of the Father (question 33) or (b) the Person of the Son (questions 34-35) or (c) the Person of the Holy Spirit (questions 36-38))