Seat of wisdom : an introduction to philosophy in the Catholic tradition

The Catholic Church has always recognized that philosophy is necessary both to understand the faith as well as to defend it. The need for a philosophically informed faith has become more acute with the rise of secularism. Seat of Wisdom demonstrates that the philosophical principles developed in the Catholic tradition, especially as articulated in Thomism, provide the intellectual foundation for belief in God and are also the only reliable basis for a fully coherent vision of man's place in the world. Seat of Wisdom begins with an exploration of the relationship between faith and reason. Philosophy's essential role is to discover the rational principles underlying the intelligible order of reality. These principles act as a bridge connecting science and religious faith, enabling the believer to integrate all facets of human experience. Each of those first principles, as expressed in the transcendental properties, are then analyzed as the basis of the major philosophical disciplines. Starting with metaphysics' study of being, the argument proceeds to consider the true, the good, and the beautiful in terms of epistemology, anthropology, ethics, aesthetics, and political philosophy. Lastly, these principles are shown to point to God as creator. The strength of the Catholic philosophical tradition is evident when contrasted with reductive theories which fail to account for the breadth of human experience. Consequently, each chapter will introduce influential philosophers whose inadequate theories inform contemporary assumptions. Against this, the Thomistic argument is elucidated as being inclusive of the insights of the reductive position. It will be seen that this "both/and" approach is the only way to do justice to the glory of God and the gift of creation. Religion is prey to skepticism when it is isolated from the rest of knowledge. This integrative argument, uniting discussions of nature, politics, and theology according to common principles, enables the reader to grasp the unity of wisdom. Moreover, by engaging alternative positions, it provides the reader with tools to defend the Catholic worldview against those reductive philosophies which only deprive life of its full meaning. Contents Introduction: Catholicism and Philosophy Philosophy: The Handmaid to Theology Three Uses of Philosophy in Theology Characteristics of a Catholic Philosophy Outline of the Book Concluding Apologetic Postscript Further Reading Chapter 1: Wisdom and Faith: The Relation between Reason and Revelation The Problem What Is Philosophy? The Necessary Uselessness of Philosophy First Principles Four Implications of First Principles Philosophy and Faith What Is Faith? Philosophy Overcomes the Reductionism of Scientism and Fideism Further Reading Part I: What Is Chapter 2: The Origins of the Perennial Philosophy The Birth of Philosophy The Pre-Socratics (ca. 600 BC to ca. 400 BC) The Socratic Revolution Plato: The Discovery of Transcendent Truth Aristotle: The Master of Those Who Know Later Philosophical Developments The Rejection of the Perennial Philosophy Further Reading Chapter 3: The One and the Many: The Search for Being in Metaphysics The Problem: Knowing Reality behind Appearance Reductive Extremes The Act of Existence The Transcendental Properties of Being The Divisions of Being The Analogy of Being The Ladder of Being Further Reading Chapter 4: What Is Truth? Epistemology and the Extent of Knowledge The Problem: What Can Be Known? The Rejection of Knowledge: Relativism and Skepticism Framing the Problem: Plato’s Critique of Knowing as Looking Reductive Extremes Thomistic Realism: Necessity in the Contingent Further Reading Chapter 5: What Is Man That Thou Art Mindful of Him? Humans as Persons The Problem: Man, between the Beasts and the Angels The Platonic Foundations Reductive Extremes Hylomorphism and the Unity of Man Significant Implications of Human Nature Personalism Further Reading Part II: What Ought to Be Chapter 6: That Which All Desire: Goodness as the Principle of Human Acts The Problem: What Must I Do? Reductive Extremes Virtue Ethics: Being a Better Person The Natural Law The Good of Making: Beauty and Art Further Reading Chapter 7: The Person and the Common Good: Political Philosophy The Problem: Rendering unto Caesar What Is Caesar’s Reductive Extremes Community: The Temporal and the Eternal Ends of a Person Further Reading Part III: Ever Shall Be Chapter 8: God: The Alpha and the Omega The Problem: The Hidden God Reductive Extremes “I Am Who Am” (Ex 3:14) The Master Both–And: Primary and Secondary Cause Miracles and Prayer Further Reading Chapter 9: Evil: The Perennial Objection to the Perennial Philosophy How to Think about Privations Metaphysical Background: Being and God Being as Good The Presence of Evil in Creation God and Evil Conclusion: Piety to Being Further Reading Appendices Appendix I: Timetable of Major Philosophers and Key Moments in History Appendix II: Natural Knowledge of God Bibliography Index "Seat of Wisdom is a comprehensive introduction to the philosophical principles developed in the Catholic tradition, especially as articulated in Thomism. Each of the first principles, as expressed in the transcendental properties, are then analyzed as the basis of the major philosophical disciplines. Starting with metaphysics's study of being, the argument proceeds to consider the true, the good, and the beautiful in terms of epistemology, anthropology, ethics, aesthetics, and political philosophy. Lastly, these principles are shown to point to God as creator. Other philosophical approaches are discussed and critiqued using this lens"-- Provided by publisher