Thomas Aquinas Philosopher and Theologian By: Simon S and Kemar C

Life Thomas Aquinas was born in Roccasecca, Italy in 1225. Taught at the University of Cologne in the early 1250s He died on March 3, 1274, Fossanova Abbey Priverno, Italy where he was also canonized. Thomas Aquinas was born in Roccasecca, Italy in 1225. A prolific writer, St. Thomas Aquinas penned close to 60 known works ranging in length from short to tome-like. This included commentaries on the bible and discussions based around Aristotle’s writing on natural philosophy. Was teaching at the University of Cologne in the early 1250s In 1256, Thomas was serving as a regent master in theology at the University of Paris. During the Feast of St. Nicolas in 1273, St. Thomas Aquinas had a mystical vision. A crucifix spoke to him "Thou hast written well of me, Thomas; what reward wilt thou have?" to which St. Thomas Aquinas replied, "None other than thyself, Lord.“ Thomas stopped writing after this vision as he had felt that his writings were of little value. In January 1274, St. Thomas Aquinas embarked on a trip to Lyon, France, on foot to serve on the Second Council, but fell ill before prior to not making it there. He died on March 3, 1274, Fossanova Abbey Priverno, Italy where he was also canonized.

Works Thomas Aquinas wrote a lengthy commentary on scholastic theologian Peter Lombard's Commentary on the Sentences. Summa Theologica is largely philosophical in nature and was followed by Summa Contra Gentiles,  Also known for writing commentaries examining the principles of natural philosophy espoused in Aristotle's writings Thomas Aquinas wrote a lengthy commentary on scholastic theologian Peter Lombard's Commentary on the Sentences. During that period, he also wrote De ente et essentia, or On Being and Essence, for the Dominican monks in Paris. Aquinas wrote Impugnantes Dei cultum et religionem, or Against Those Who Assail the Worship of God and Religion, a treatise defending mendicant orders that William of Saint-Amour had criticized. Summa Theologica is largely philosophical in nature and was followed by Summa Contra Gentiles, which, while still philosophical, comes across to many critics as apologetic of the beliefs he expressed in his earlier works.  is also known for writing commentaries examining the principles of natural philosophy espoused in Aristotle's writings: On the Heavens, Meteorology, On Generation and Corruption, On the Soul, Nicomachean Ethics and Metaphysics, among others.

Philosophy He helped merge philosophy with faith which led to a new modus vivendi. Thomas believed that both theological and philosophical discourse could help explain the nature of things, but that there was a time and place for both. Shares in many of Aristotle’s theories and beliefs, for example, both Aristotle and Thomas believed that human’s possessed souls which could exist outside of one’s body.

Summa Theologiae “It should be noted that different ways of knowing (ratio cognoscibilis) give us different sciences. The astronomer and the natural philosopher both conclude that the earth is round, but the astronomer does this through a mathematical middle that is abstracted from matter, whereas the natural philosopher considers a middle lodged in matter. Thus there is nothing to prevent another science from treating in the light of divine revelation what the philosophical disciplines treat as knowable in the light of human reason.” (Summa theologiae, Ia.1.1 ad 2)