Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy

John Peterson

This book introduces readers to Thomistic philosophy through selected topics such as being, God, teleology, truth, persons and knowledge, ethics, and universals. John Peterson discusses metaphysics and the essence-existence distinction and presents what he believes is Aquinas’ strongest theistic proof. He offers a new defense Aquinas’ idea of natural ends based on the distinction between immanent and transient change. Unveiling the complexity of Aquinas’ account of truth, Peterson shows the hierarchical levels of truth in the thought of St. Thomas. The book explains why Aquinas would reject Cartesian dualism as well as both materialism and epiphenomenalism on the body-mind issue. Defending the basis of Aquinas’ natural-law ethics, Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy reveals the role of universalizability and the relation of right and good in his ethics.

University Press of America

Pages: 138 • Trim: 6 x 9¼

978-0-7618-5986-4 • Paperback • December 2012 • $37.99 • (£24.95)

978-0-7618-5987-1 • eBook • December 2012 • $36.00 • (£24.95)

Subjects: Philosophy / Essays, Philosophy / General, Philosophy / Criticism

Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy

Paperback

eBook

Summary

This book introduces readers to Thomistic philosophy through selected topics such as being, God, teleology, truth, persons and knowledge, ethics, and universals. John Peterson discusses metaphysics and the essence-existence distinction and presents what he believes is Aquinas’ strongest theistic proof. He offers a new defense Aquinas’ idea of natural ends based on the distinction between immanent and transient change. Unveiling the complexity of Aquinas’ account of truth, Peterson shows the hierarchical levels of truth in the thought of St. Thomas. The book explains why Aquinas would reject Cartesian dualism as well as both materialism and epiphenomenalism on the body-mind issue. Defending the basis of Aquinas’ natural-law ethics, Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy reveals the role of universalizability and the relation of right and good in his ethics.

Details

University Press of America

Pages: 138 • Trim: 6 x 9¼

978-0-7618-5986-4 • Paperback • December 2012 • $37.99 • (£24.95)

978-0-7618-5987-1 • eBook • December 2012 • $36.00 • (£24.95)

Subjects: Philosophy / Essays, Philosophy / General, Philosophy / Criticism

Author

John Peterson received his master’s degree from Boston College in 1959 and received his doctorate degree from Indiana University in 1965. He is the author of Realism and Logical Atomism (1976), Introduction to Scholastic Realism (1999), and Aquinas: A New Introduction (2008). His papers have appeared in The Review of Metaphysics, Ratio, Faith and Philosophy, International Philosophical Quarterly, and other notable journals.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
1 Metaphysics and Being
2 God
3 Teleology
4 Truth, Knowledge and Goodness
5 Persons
6 Ethics
7 Universals

Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy

John Peterson

Introduction to Thomistic Philosophy

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