Rationality As Virtue: Towards A Theological Philosophy (transcending Boundaries In Philosophy And Theology)

For much of the modern period, theologians and philosophers of religion have struggled with the problem of proving that it is rational to believe in God. Drawing on the thought of Thomas Aquinas, this book lays the foundation for an innovative effort to overturn the longstanding problem of proving faith's rationality, and to establish instead that rationality requires to be explained by appeals to faith. To this end, Schumacher advances the constructive argument that rationality is not only an epistemological question concerning the soundness of human thoughts, which she defines in terms of ‘ ; intellectual virtue’ ; . Ultimately, it is an ethical question whether knowledge is used in ways that promote an individual's own flourishing and that of others. That is to say, rationality in its paradigmatic form is a matter of moral virtue, which should nonetheless entail intellectual virtue. This conclusion sets the stage for Schumacher's argument in a companion book, 'Theological Philosophy', which explains how Christian faith provides an exceptionally robust rationale for rationality, so construed, and is intrinsically rational in that sense Cover Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- List of Abbreviations -- 1 Introduction to Rationality as Virtue -- The Intellectual Context of Theological Philosophy -- The Precursor: Pro-Theology Philosophy -- The Project: Theological Philosophy -- Endnotes -- PART I NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR PRO-THEOLOGY PHILOSOPHY -- 2 The Ontology of Participation -- The Ontology of Things Known -- The Ontology of the Human Knower -- Endnotes -- 3 The Ontology of Knowledge -- The Elements of Logic -- Language and Knowledge -- Inductive Reasoning -- Deductive Reasoning -- Logical Fallacies -- Conclusion -- Endnotes -- 4 The Conditions for Knowledge -- The First Condition: Expectant Faith -- The Second Condition: Fulfilled Faith -- The Third Condition: Informed Faith -- Informed vs Uninformed Faith -- Endnotes -- 5 Rationality -- Intellect and Will -- Passions -- Intellectual Vices -- Rationality as Intellectual Virtue -- Rationality in Wisdom, Science, and Art -- Endnotes -- PART II SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS FOR PRO-THEOLOGY PHILOSOPHY -- 6 Deficient Conditions for Pro-Theology Philosophy -- Passion and Vice -- The Seven Capital Vices -- Vice vs Virtue -- Endnotes -- 7 Sufficient Conditions for Pro-Theology Philosophy -- The First Condition: Prudence -- The Second Condition: Justice -- The Third Condition: Fortitude -- The Fourth Condition: Temperance -- Moral Virtue as Rationality -- Endnotes -- 8 Towards a Theological Philosophy -- Endnotes -- Bibliography Cover 1 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 11 List of Abbreviations 13 1 Introduction to Rationality as Virtue 15 The Intellectual Context of Theological Philosophy 17 The Precursor: Pro-Theology Philosophy 21 The Project: Theological Philosophy 30 Endnotes 35 PART I Necessary Conditions for Pro‐Theology Philosophy 43 2 The Ontology of Participation 45 The Ontology of Things Known 46 The Ontology of the Human Knower 52 Endnotes 59 3 The Ontology of Knowledge 69 The Elements of Logic 71 Language and Knowledge 77 Inductive Reasoning 81 Deductive Reasoning 84 Logical Fallacies 93 Conclusion 97 Endnotes 97 4 The Conditions for Knowledge 105 The First Condition: Expectant Faith 106 The Second Condition: Fulfilled Faith 114 The Third Condition: Informed Faith 115 Informed vs Uninformed Faith 120 Endnotes 126 5 Rationality 131 Intellect and Will 134 Passions 137 Intellectual Vices 143 Rationality as Intellectual Virtue 145 Rationality in Wisdom, Science, and Art 148 Endnotes 150 PART II Sufficient Conditions for Pro-Theology Philosophy 157 6 Deficient Conditions for Pro‐Theology Philosophy 159 Passion and Vice 160 The Seven Capital Vices 166 Vice vs Virtue 178 Endnotes 183 7 Sufficient Conditions for Pro‐Theology Philosophy 191 The First Condition: Prudence 191 The Second Condition: Justice 196 The Third Condition: Fortitude 204 The Fourth Condition: Temperance 208 Moral Virtue as Rationality 210 Endnotes 220 8 Towards a Theological Philosophy 227 Endnotes 230 Bibliography 231 Index 241

For much of the modern period, theologians and philosophers of religion have struggled with the problem of proving that it is rational to believe in God. Drawing on the thought of Thomas Aquinas, this book lays the foundation for an innovative effort to overturn the longstanding problem of proving faith's rationality, and to establish instead that rationality requires to be explained by appeals to faith. To this end, Schumacher advances the constructive argument that rationality is not only an epistemological question concerning the soundness of human thoughts, which she defines in terms of