I’m moseying through a book and CD program on the philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, written by Boston College professor Peter Kreeft. Better mental sustenance than talk radio, or playing Freecell.
Anyway, something struck me quite powerfully in my reading.
When stating the objections to each of his hundreds of propositions, Aquinas always summarizes them “fairly, strongly, clearly, and succinctly.” At least, according to Kreeft and, based on my meanderings through the Summa Theologiae, I agree. I think it would be hard to find any reputable scholar to disagree with this statement.
That is mind-blowing to me.
We live in a tremendous debate-driven society. Television news, opinion shows, newspapers, blogs, talk radio. This is because we are in the midst of a megalithic, foundational culture war, a war which touches everything from words you can publicly say to textbooks your first graders will read to how much of your money and property is yours to whether or not we are a nation subscribing to Judeo-Christian principles.
All well and good. Such is our lot in life. But think about this.
How often do the debaters in our society summarize the arguments of their opponents fairly, strongly, clearly, and succinctly?
My guess is less than 5 percent. If that.
Analogically, Aquinas, too, lived in a debate-driven society. But how confident was he in his reasoning, his arguments, his logic, that he was able to always display the opposing view in the best light possible?
It’s a confidence, a discipline, and a dedication to Truth that is so rarely found and so sorely wanting in 21st-century America. It’s a shame. It’s shameful.
The whole fairly-strongly-clearly-succinctly thing is just one of many reasons I’m attracted to the thought of the great doctor, Saint Thomas.
More later, as it develops.
Anyway, something struck me quite powerfully in my reading.
When stating the objections to each of his hundreds of propositions, Aquinas always summarizes them “fairly, strongly, clearly, and succinctly.” At least, according to Kreeft and, based on my meanderings through the Summa Theologiae, I agree. I think it would be hard to find any reputable scholar to disagree with this statement.
That is mind-blowing to me.
We live in a tremendous debate-driven society. Television news, opinion shows, newspapers, blogs, talk radio. This is because we are in the midst of a megalithic, foundational culture war, a war which touches everything from words you can publicly say to textbooks your first graders will read to how much of your money and property is yours to whether or not we are a nation subscribing to Judeo-Christian principles.
All well and good. Such is our lot in life. But think about this.
How often do the debaters in our society summarize the arguments of their opponents fairly, strongly, clearly, and succinctly?
My guess is less than 5 percent. If that.
Analogically, Aquinas, too, lived in a debate-driven society. But how confident was he in his reasoning, his arguments, his logic, that he was able to always display the opposing view in the best light possible?
It’s a confidence, a discipline, and a dedication to Truth that is so rarely found and so sorely wanting in 21st-century America. It’s a shame. It’s shameful.
The whole fairly-strongly-clearly-succinctly thing is just one of many reasons I’m attracted to the thought of the great doctor, Saint Thomas.
More later, as it develops.
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