Aquinas

Past Masters (Oxford)

by Anthony Kenny

An investigation of the saint's philosophy centers on his metaphysical system, his doctrine of Being, and some of his lesser-known writings on the nature of the mind

Genres: Philosophy, Biography, Nonfiction, History, Theology, Religion

94 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Sir Anthony Kenny is an English philosopher whose interests lie in the philosophy of mind, ancient and scholastic philosophy, the philosophy of Wittgenstein, and the philosophy of religion.

Reviews

[Nikos Tsentemeidis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Κατ’ αρχάς είναι μια πολύ όμορφη και προσεγμένη έκδοση, όπως όλες φυσικά των Πανεπιστημιακών Εκδόσεων Κρήτης. Νομίζω πως δεν υπάρχει μεταφρασμένος ο Θωμάς Ακινάτης, γεγονός που αποτελεί μεγάλο κενό στην ελληνική βιβλιογραφία. Εισαγωγικά είναι ενδιαφέροντα τα στοιχεία της ζωής του σημαντικότερου ίσως φιλοσόφου του μεσαίωνα. Κάνοντας μια παρένθεση, υπάρχει ένα γενικότερο κενό στην βιβλιογραφία για τον μεσαίωνα και όσον αφορά την ιστορία, αλλά και τη φιλοσοφία. Μπαίνοντας στο κυρίως μέρος του βιβλίου, ο συγγραφέας ασχολείται περισσότερο με τη σημασία των εννοιών που χρησιμοποιεί ο Ακινάτης, παρά με κάτι πιο ουσιαστικό και χαρακτηριστικό γνώρισμα της φιλοσοφίας του.

[Iman · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب صد و خرده‌ای صفحه بود. سه بخش داشت؛ فصل اول زندگی‌نامه و آثار، فصل دوم وجود، فصل سوم ذهن(اگر اشتباه نکنم، ببخشید). کتاب نسبتا درهمی بود. مثل اکثر تک نگاری‌ها. نویسنده به خودش اجازه می‌ده در هر بخش به موضوعات غیر مرتبط بپردازه(البته توی این کتاب دزش پایینه). به صورت کلی، کتاب خوشخوان و روانی بود و خیلی عمیق نشده بود که برای آشنایی مقدماتی با آکویناس میشه روش حساب کرد.
نشر واژه آرا، ترجمه‌ی محمد بقایی، چاپ 1376.

[Joel Zartman · Rating 1 out of 5]

At least it was brief.

[Kamila Zmysłowska · Rating 2 out of 5]

To chyba jednak za poważna książka jak dla mnie........😴😴😴😴😴 jednak rozdział "Życie" był bardzo ciekawy i nawet znalazłam w nim szczyptę humoru ha ha ha

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ja jongens dit vond ik hem toch ook niet

[Giorgos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Και μόνο που είναι το πρώτο βιβλίο στα ελληνικά για τον μεγαλύτερο φιλόσοφο του λατινικού μεσαίωνα αξίζει να συσταθεί. Βέβαια, δεν είναι ακριβώς εισαγωγικό για το ευρύ κοινό. Ο λόγος του Κέννυ είναι σαφής, χρησιμοποιεί παραδείγματα όταν αναλύει τα κείμενα και ξεκαθαρίζει μερικές από τις πιο δύσκολες έννοιες της μεταφυσικής (ουσία, ύπαρξη, θεός) και της γνωσιολογίας (νους, ψυχή). Μεταγράφει τη σκέψη του Θωμά Ακινάτη στη φιλοσοφική γλώσσα του 20ού αιώνα, κι αυτό είναι σημαντικό -αν και ενίοτε παραπλανητικό- καθώς δείχνει τι μένει ζωντανό σήμερα (για τον Κέννυ, η φιλοσοφία του νου του). Δυστυχώς δεν αναλύει επαρκώς την ηθική του Ακινάτη, που έχει μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον. Η έκδοση και η μετάφραση πολύ καλή, με βοηθητικές υποσημειώσεις. Βασικό για την κατανόηση της λατινικής φιλοσοφίας και της πρόσληψης του Αριστοτέλη στον Μεσαίωνα.

[Liedzeit Liedzeit · Rating 3 out of 5]

An admirable little book. A lot of these short introductions to famous philosophers are quite bad. But Kenny is very serious and obviously thought about how he would present his subject. There are three parts one on the life which mostly consists of very brief descriptions of his works. Which is okay. Since there probably is not much exciting in the real day life of a 13th-century monk. And then 2 parts where Kenny actually explains a bit of the philosophy of Thomas. It is not easy. But one understands that Thomas was a great thinker. Deeper than lesser thinkers like Hegel and Berkeley. At least that is what Kenny tells us and I am inclined to believe him. 7/10

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know how I ended up reading this short book but one hour at Magus in Seattle's U-District always finds me delirious, confused, counting small bills and staggering out with some book or other.

St. Thomas Aquinas is interesting because he serves as a bridge between the ancient philosophers, mainly Aristotle, and the medieval world. He's the giant of medieval scholasticism and made a lot of contributions to the development of formal logic in Western intellectual history. This reminds me that I registered my lowest ever grade in college (1.8) in an introduction to logic class. In my defense I bombed the final because I was fighting off an intense fever, in fact sweating through two shirts and a sweater before being asked to leave the exam and continue the next day. However, it would be dishonest to say that I had been a diligent student of philosophy that quarter. I had not been. I shirked my scholarly duty and failed to put in as good an effort as I was capable. The results speak for themselves.

Aquinas was a brilliant logician and this book outlines some of his theories of Mind and Being. But like I said logic is not my bag so it took a lot of re-reading and unglazing of the eyes to finish this thing. The author, Anthony Kenny, wrote this in 1979 while at Oxford and does a serviceable job throughout. My favorite part was the introductory biographical chapter in which Aquinas' career and historical context are discussed. Although a giant in his time and Europe's leading professor Aquinas apparently suffered from some kind of mental illness and had a calamitous breakdown while conducting Mass one December towards the end of his life. He never returned to his work and died profoundly depressed and largely incoherent. He said all his voluminous work, borne of a career's unceasing intellectual labor, seemed like so much "straw" to him now.

Ouch. Fortunately for him the Catholic Church loved it and he was canonized shortly after his death. The miracle he performed in order to qualify for sainthood was asking, while on his deathbed, for herring in a part of Italy where herring was almost never found. But on this occasion herring WAS found in a wagon passing through town and promptly brought to the dying Aquinas. He passed moments later.

[Jeroen Berndsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas van Aquino (1224/5-1274) staat bekend als de belangrijkste vertegenwoordiger van het middeleeuwse scholastieke denken, waarin filosofie en theologie nauw met elkaar verweven zijn. Zijn geschriften worden tegenwoordig in toenemende mate ook buiten de christelijke denkwereld bestudeerd. Thomas' inzichten blijken uitermate vruchtbaar te zijn in hedendaagse filosofische discussies op het gebied van logica, metafysica, ethiek en godsdienstfilosofie. Thomas van Aquino staat in hoog aanzien door zijn onovertroffen poging de christelijke theologie te verzoenen met de heidense, op Aristoteles gebaseerde filosofie. Anthony Kenny's compacte maar zeer toegankelijke overzichtswerk is onmiskenbaar het beste vertrekpunt voor een eerste kennismaking. (cover)

[Erajad · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm no philosopher, but Kenny's prose is as crystalline as his thinking is clear. The fact I actually finished it (OK, I know it's short) is futher testament to the accessibility of this marvellous introduction to Aquinas's thought.

[Mark Glidden · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book that gives a concise, yet with surprising depth, overview of St Thomas' life, philosophy of being and philosophy of mind. A great read.

[Christophe Scheire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Die kopstukken-reeks heeft me nog niet veel plezier en inzicht opgeleverd. Jammer.