Aquinas · Aristotle · Darwin · evolution · history of science · philosophy · philosophy of science · scholasticism

Scholasticism II: What’s in a PON?

Ed Feser wrote a thoughtful response to my earlier post on Scholasticism. And I’d like to expand on his comments, as my afterthoughts on Pieper’s point were brief. I’m a bit puzzled by John’s statement that “Scholasticism presupposes an Aristotelian philosophy of nature that is simply not adequate to support what modern science has uncovered… Continue reading Scholasticism II: What’s in a PON?

Aquinas · Aristotle · medieval history · metaphysics · philosophy · religion and science · scholasticism

A Return to Scholasticism?

There’s a great scene in Elaine May’s 1971 film, A New Leaf, where the main character, an aging WASP played by Walter Matthau, is being encouraged by his butler to marry rich in order to stave off bankruptcy. He’s frittered away his inheritance on expensive cars, the country club, and fine art. And he still… Continue reading A Return to Scholasticism?

Aquinas · Aristotle · Bible · brain science · Christianity · the soul · theistic evolution

The Problem of the Soul

A similar uneasiness with this kind of distinction has appeared more recently within Roman Catholic theology, due no doubt in part to a sense that the notion of a self-subsistent soul is non-scriptural and/or that the notion of God’s immediately creating each human soul does not fit easily into the continuum of living beings that… Continue reading The Problem of the Soul

Aquinas · Aristotle · science

Can Aristotle be Rescued?

Stephen Barr, writing in Faith: In short, Aristotelian/Thomistic philosophy has paid a heavy price for the two and a half centuries in which it largely ignored what was going on in the natural sciences. A sustained re-engagement with science would enrich its conceptual and linguistic resources. This re-engagement cannot simply be an attempt to translate… Continue reading Can Aristotle be Rescued?