Form and Being : Studies in Thomistic Metaphysics (Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy, Volume 45)

The latest volume in the Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy series contains thirteen essays by Lawrence Dewan on metaphysics, the vision of reality from the viewpoint of being. While they take the form of interpretations of the thought of Thomas Aquinas, they are meant as a contribution to perennial philosophy, truth that transcends particular cultures and eras. Written over a period of 25 years, they range from an overall conception of the primary philosophical wisdom, to such particular subjects as the conception of substance in an evolutionary context; the natural seed of intellectual knowledge within the human being; the principle of causality; the immortality of the soul; and the real distinction between particular form and the act of being, crucial for our understanding of reality as created. The method combines close readings of and reflections on the texts of Thomas Aquinas and other relevant thinkers. Because the essays were written largely in response to the work of several prominent twentieth-century metaphysicians, they regularly offer alternative views on extremely fundamental issues. The distinctive contribution of this volume is its focus on the role of form among the various items in the ontological analysis. The most prominent Thomistic metaphysicians in the twentieth century laid great stress on the role of the act of being. Dewan's essays present what is essentially the same picture, but in a way that emphasizes the continuity between Christian philosophers and their predecessors in ancient Greece. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lawrence Dewan, O.P., is professor of philosophy at the Dominican College of Philosophy and Theology in Ottawa and is a member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas, Rome. "The distinctive contribution of this volume is its focus on the role of form among the various items in the ontological analysis." ― The Maritain Notebook PRAISE FOR THE BOOK: "[A] handsome volume of thirteen Dewan papers, selected from among the more than a hundred he has produced over the years." ― Stephen L. Brock, Acta Philosophica "It is a pleasure to spend time with Lawrence Dewan in the pages of this book. His mastery of Aquinas, eagerness to teach, zeal for philosophical truth, critical intellect, and gentle humor illumine every chapter. . . . Father Dewan and the editors of the Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy series have performed a service to the philosophical community in bringing these essays together." ― Michael J. Dodds, O.P., The Thomist "Thirteen substantive articles, heavily textual in nature, compose the volume. Dewan culls them from over 100 published in the last twenty-seven years." ― John F. X. Knasas, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly The latest volume in the "Studies in Philosophy and the History of Philosophy" series contains thirteen essays by Lawrence Dewan on metaphysics, the vision of reality from the viewpoint of being. While they take the form of interpretations of the thought of Thomas Aquinas, they are meant as a contribution to perennial philosophy, truth that transcends particular cultures and eras. Written over a period of twenty-five years, they range from an overall conception of the primary philosophical wisdom, to such particular subjects as the conception of substance in an evolutionary context; the natural seed of intellectual knowledge within the human being; the principle of causality; the immortality of the soul; and the real distinction between particular form and the act of being, crucial for our understanding of reality as created. The method combines close readings of and reflections on the texts of Thomas Aquinas and other relevant thinkers. Because the essays were written largely in response to the work of several prominent twentieth-century metaphysicians, they regularly offer alternative views on extremely fundamental issues. The distinctive contribution of this volume is its focus on the role of form among the various items in the ontological analysis. The most prominent Thomistic metaphysicians in the twentieth century laid great stress on the role of the act of being. Dewan's essays present what is essentially the same picture, but in a way that emphasizes the continuity between Christian philosophers and their predecessors in ancient Greece Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Abbreviations......Page 16 1. What Is Metaphysics?......Page 20 2. What Does It Mean to Study Being “as Being”?......Page 32 3. St. Thomas and the Seed of Metaphysics......Page 54 4. St. Thomas, Physics, and the Principle of Metaphysics......Page 66 5. St. Thomas and the Principle of Causality......Page 80 6. St. Thomas and Analogy: The Logician and the Metaphysician......Page 100 7. The Importance of Substance......Page 115 8. St. Thomas, Metaphysics, and Formal Causality......Page 150 9. St. Thomas, Metaphysical Procedure, and the Formal Cause......Page 186 10. St. Thomas, Form, and Incorruptibility......Page 194 11. St. Thomas and the Distinction between Form and Esse in Caused Things......Page 207 12. Nature as a Metaphysical Object......Page 224 13. The Individual as a Mode of Being according to Thomas Aquinas......Page 248 Bibliography......Page 268 Index of Names......Page 274 Index of Topics......Page 276 What Is Metaphysics? -- What Does It Mean To Study Being As Being? -- St. Thomas And The Seed Of Metaphysics -- St. Thomas, Physics, And The Principle Of Metaphysics -- St. Thomas And The Principle Of Causality -- St. Thomas And Analogy : The Logician And The Metaphysician -- The Importance Of Substance -- St. Thomas, Metaphysics, And Formal Causality -- St. Thomas, Metaphysical Procedure, And The Formal Cause -- St. Thomas, Form, And Incorruptibility -- St. Thomas And The Distinction Between Form And Esse In Caused Things -- Nature As A Metaphysical Object -- The Individual As A Mode Of Being According To Thomas Aquinas. Lawrence Dewan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 249-254) And Indexes.