AQUINAS Anthony Kenny PAST MASTERS Aquinas AQUINAS by Anthony Kenny General Editor, Keith Thomas PAST MASTERS SERIES doJ Hill and Wang New York · A division of Farrar, Straus and Giroux Copyrig©h 1t9 80b yA nthonKye nny Allr ighrtess erved FirsAtm ericaend iti1o9n8,0 Printiendt heU niteSdt ateosfA merica LibraorfyC ongreCsast alogiinnP gu blicatDiaotna KennyA,n thonJyo hnP atricAkq.u inas. (Pasmta stersse rieBsi)b liograpp.hI yn:c ludiensd ex. I. ThomasA quinaSsa,i n1t2,2 5?-1274-Philosophy. I.S eriesB.7 65.T54K14928 0 189'.749 -27404 ISBN0 -8090-272I4S-B0N 0 -8090-14p0b7k-.6 Preface This is a book about Thomas Aquinas as a philosopher: it is written for readers who may not necessarily share his theological interests and beliefs. Apart from his commentaries on Aristotle, Aquinas wrote little of an explicitly philosophical nature; but his theological works, and especially his masterpiece the Summa Theologiae, contain philosophical insights which entitle him to be considered as one of the world's great philosophers. The book is divided into three chapters. The first is an account of St Thomas's life and works and an assessment of his signifi­ cance for contemporary philosophy. The second is a sketch of the major concepts of Aquinas's metaphysical system: it includes a discussion of the doctrine of Being, which is one of the most famous, but also the most overrated, elements in his philosophy. The third chapter is devoted to Aquinas's philosophy of mind, which is less well known but far more rewarding to study. The book concludes with a bibliographical note. I am indebted to Professor A. C. Lloyd and Dr Henry Hardy for comments on an earlier draft of the book, and to Mrs Mary Bugge for typing the manuscript. Balliol 3r January r979 Contents List of abbreviations viii I Life I 2 Being 32 3 Mind 6I Bibliographical note 83 Index 85 List of abbreviations The tbllowing abbreviations have been used in referring to works of Aquinas: C De Virtutibus in Communi, Rome, 1953. English translation: On the Virtues in General, trans. J. P. Reid, Providence, R. I., 1951. E De Ente et Essentia, ed. L. Baur, Munster, 1933. English translation: Being and Essence, trans. A. Maurer, Toronto, 1949. G Summa contra Gentiles: see Bibliographical Note. M In XII Libros Metaphysicorum, ed. R. M. Spiazzi, Turin, 1950. English translation: Commentary on the Metaphysics of Aristotle, Chicago, 1961. H In Libros Peri Hermeneias, ed. R. M. Spiazzi, Turin, 1955. English translation in Aristotle on Interpretation - Com­ mentary by St Thomas and Cajetan, J. Oesterle, Milwaukee, 1962. P Quaestiones Disputatae de Potentia Dei, ed. R. M. Spiazzi, Turin, 1949. English translation: On the Power of God, trans. L. Shapcote and others, Westminster, Maryland, 1952. Q Quaestiones Quodlibetales, ed. R. M. Spiazzi, Rome, 1949. S Summa Theologiae: see Bibliographical Note. V Quaestiones Disputatae de V eritate, ed. R. M. Spiazzi, Turin, 1949. English translation: Truth, trans. R. W. Mulligan and others, Chicago, 1952. S is usually cited by part, question, article, and (if applicable) objection or reply; thus 'I-II 3 2 ad 2' means: the reply to the second objection in the second article of the third question of the First Part of the Second Part (see below, p. 20). G is cited by book and chapter. The translations given in the text are in general my own, though I am indebted to existing translations. Aquinas