Thomas Aquinas: Understand the Universal Teacher's Greatest Ideas

by Eleonore Stump

Thomas Aquinas, OP (1225-1274), is one of world history's most influential thinkers. His works indelibly shaped Western thought and Christian belief, and his brilliant ideas continue to resonate in universities and churches everywhere. But his complex thought can often seem inaccessible.In this superb course, taught by an internationally known Aquinas expert, you will cover Aquinas’s ethics, metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophical theology. Under Prof. Stump's guidance, you will see the world through his eyes. You will begin with an introduction to Aquinas's ethics in order to explore his views on human flourishing and morality. Then you will gain tremendous insights into his metaphysics, which engage with the nature of ultimate reality, God's eternity, and much more. After looking at his philosophy of free will, you will explore his epistemology. Finally, you will encounter his complex and fascinating philosophical theology. Along the way Prof. Stump will guide you through complex philosophical concepts with deft and easy-to-understand teaching. Although he died young, it is impossible to overestimate Aquinas's influence on Western philosophy. His thought remains as relevant today as ever. You don't want to miss this enlightening journey through the thought of one of the great intellectual giants of the Christian tradition.

Genres: Audiobook

Audiobook

Published January 5, 2021

About the author

Eleonore Stump is the Robert J. Henle Professor of Philosophy at Saint Louis University, where she has taught since 1992. She has published extensively in philosophy of religion, contemporary metaphysics, and medieval philosophy. Her books include her major study Aquinas (Routledge, 2003) and her extensive treatment of the problem of evil, Wandering in Darkness: Narrative and the Problem of Suffering (Oxford, 2010). She has given the Gifford Lectures (Aberdeen, 2003), the Wilde lectures (Oxford, 2006), and the Stewart lectures (Princeton, 2009). She is past president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, the American Catholic Philosophical Association, and the American Philosophical Association, Central Division.

Reviews

[Peter Rapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learn a robust and enduring formulation of classical Christian theism from this great short course on Aquinas!

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I really enjoyed her metaphors and her explanations. It is interesting how you can go through the same basic material and struggle with it, and then a deft explanation makes it concrete.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind-bending

[Kayla Harder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a Catholic, so definitely not the target audience for this.

I picked this up because Thomas Aquinas is mentioned a few times in "The Good Place" and I'm working on reading or learning about the philosophers mentioned in that show.

I really enjoyed the first third when it was more philosophy and morals-based. I appreciated the last two thirds because I think Stump did a great job of explaining very complex ideas - while they were more religious than I was hoping for, I thought it was interesting and well written.

[Ashley Eaton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly helpful.

[Overbooked ✎ · Rating 1 out of 5]

decided to set aside after the 2nd lecture