RE-THINKING THE ANGELIC DOCTOR : w. norris clarke and the concept of person in thomas aquinas

Re-thinking the Angelic Doctor is a major new reassessment of the reception of Thomas Aquinas in the work of the twentieth-century American philosopher W. Norris Clarke. Author Aloysius N. Ezeoba explores the question of whether Clarke was engaged in a "creative retrieval" of Aquinas' system of thought - with a focus on the human person - or whether Clarke was forging his own path in attemptting to provide a "creative conclusion". Shedding new light on the workings of two great minds separated by eight centuries, Re-thinking the Angelic Doctor will be of interest to readers who are looking for a timely re-examination of the Aristotelian arguments, especially as they are appropriated by template religious thinkers such as Aquinas. It will also be a valuable resource in graduate courses in medieval and modern philosophy and theology. Cover HalfTitle Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Foreword Introduction Clarke’s Life Factors That Shaped His Notion of the Human Person Methodology Sources Part I Human Person as Substance 1 The Human Person in Clarke is a Dynamic Substance Rooted in Esse Clarke lists four characteristics of substance: Two Important Roles of Substance Principle of Perduring Self-identity Unifying Center The Human Substance is Intrinsically Dynamic Intrinsic Dynamic esse Substance versus Esse Clarke’s Argument for a Dynamic Substance in Aquinas It will be good to see here what Aquinas himself understood as substance. 2 Human Substance in Aquinas’ vis-à-vis Clarke’s Aquinas’ Notion of Substance His Description of Person Soul in Aquinas and Aristotle compared “Positive” Understanding of This Notion of Incommunicability Governing Laws of Act and Potency Active and Passive Potencies Substantial and Accidental Changes 3 Clarke’s Problem with The Human Substance Among Some Modern and Contemporary Thinkers Distortion of Substance Dissolution of Substance Subsequent Thinkers Rejection of the Classical Notion of Substance 4 New Notion of Substance as Intrinsically Dynamic German Idealism on substance Dynamic Notion of Substance in the Contemporary Thought Their Influence on Clarke Dilemma to Resolve Part II Human Person as Relation 1 Clarke’s Theory of Relation in Aquinas Clarke’s Notion of Implicit Relation in St. Thomas Terms: Relation and Operation Operation and Self-communication in Aquinas St. Thomas Aquinas’ Idea of Relation Real Relation or Relation of Reason The Reaction of Ratzinger Relation as Equally Primordial as Substance Operation vis-à-vis “first act” and “second act” 2 The Origin of The Primordial Notion of Relations Relation in the Classical Period Medieval Notion of Relation Origin of Relation as a Primordial Mode The Kindling of Relation Among Modern Thinkers 3 Developed Primordial Relations Among Contemporary Thinkers The Root of the Development, According to Clarke Contemporary Existential Phenomenologists, Personalists, and Psychotherapists Personalists Existential Phenomenologists Psychologists and Psychotherapists 4 Clarke and Contentious Problems of Person as Relation in the Contemporary Thought Idealistic Personalism Personalist Idealism Pan-psychic Idealism Absolutist Idealism Organismic Personalism Ethical Personalism Realistic Personalism Part III Human Person as Substance-in-Relation 1 Clarke’s Notion of Person Development of the Concept of Person The Human Person Ontological Structure of the Human Nature The soul as a spirit and a form Orientation of the Will Dynamic a priori of the Spirit As a Microcosm As a Frontier Being Manifestation of This Ontological Structure Self-consciousness Two Levels of Consciousness in Clarke? Touch of the Other Self-determination The Dynamism of Human Action 2 Reason for Relation (agere) Relation Because of Poverty Relation Because of Richness Communion of Persons and God as the Fullness of Perfection Perfection as a Communion of Persons Lack as “positive?” Perfection as Self-transcendence 3 The Ontological Orientation of the Human Person A priori Drives Clarke’s Location of the Perfection of the Human Person Relation as Source of Human Knowledge Mediating Bridge of Clarke 4 Transcendental Method Maréchal’s Central Point Clarke’s Starting Point Part IV Aquinas’ Root of Clarke’s Thought and Relational Problem 1 Substance-in-relation: Creative Retrieval or Completion of Aquinas’ Thought? Emphasis on One Mode of Substance Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke Distinct and Incommunicable Substance Aquinas Modern and Contemporary Thought Clarke God as Absolutely Immutable Aquinas Contemporary thought Clarke God’s Relation with the World Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke “To be” (esse) is to Be a Substance Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke Relation as Accident Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke Esse as the Root of All Perfection Aquinas Contemporary thought Clarke Substance Constitutes the Fullness of Person Aquinas Contemporary Notion Clarke Receptivity as a Lack and Negative Perfection Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke Being as the First Thing That Comes into the Intellect Aquinas Contemporary Thought Clarke Why Did Clarke Differ So Much from Aquinas? 2 Relational Problem, Dangers, and Proposal Relational Problem Insufficient for Human Perfection Correction of Wrong Interpretation of Aquinas Perfection in the Second Act? Insufficient as the Root of Human Activity of Knowing A priori and a posteriori Subtly Combined Insufficient for the Fullness of the Human Person Problem Susceptibility of Dualism and Historicism Susceptibility of Mode Dualism Problem of Moments Critique of Vendemiati Risk of Historicism Effect on Personhood 3 Proposal for the Development of the Primordial Relation in esse Tracing the Origin of Relation in the First Act Ontological Energy of Being Field of Empirical Science Ancient Thinkers Medieval Period Modern Scholars Idealism and Process Thought Innate Dynamism of esse Critique by Clarke The “imago Dei” of the Human Person Location of This Image of God in Humans Dynamism of This Primordial Energy Substance-in-relation Understood as Relational Substance Two distinct modes? Human Substance is Intrinsically Relational Ground of relationality Idea from Some Other Scholars Intrinsic Consciousness Master of one’s action Intrinsic Self-determination The Necessity of Free Will Ontological self-transcendence Is Self-transcendence More in the Second Act? I-We: The Destiny of the Human Person Embodiment of Other-selves We-Are I-Thou I-We Inclusion Ontology Openness Availability Communion Communion of Persons Communion with the Universe Communion with God Conclusion Attempted problem Realization Bibliography