“There
is little of the true philosophic spirit in Aquinas. He does not, like
the Platonic Socrates, set out to follow wherever the argument may
lead. He is not engaged in an inquiry, the result of which it is
impossible to know in advance. Before he begins to philosophize, he
already knows the truth; it is declared in the Catholic faith. If he
can find apparently rational arguments for some parts of the faith, so
much the better; if he cannot, he need only fall back on revelation.
The finding of arguments for a conclusion given I in advance is not
philosophy, but special pleading. I cannot, therefore, feel that he
deserves to be put on a level with the best philosophers either of
Greece or of modern times.”
Russell, Bertrand (2008): History
of Western Philosophy. London: Routledge. [1946] S. 427
|
| Links |
Horst Seidl, Hg.: Thomas
von Aquin. Die Gottesbeweise in der "Summe > gegen die Heiden"
und der "Summe der Theologie" |
Literatur zu religiöser Glaube
und Vernunft |
| Literatur |
| Kelly, Thomas
(2011): "Following The Argument Where It Leads". Philosophical
Studies 154:1, S. 105-124. |
| Nelson,
Mark T. (2001): "On the Lack of 'True Philosophic Spirit' in Aquinas:
Commitment v. Tracking in Philosophic Method". Philosophy
76:4, S. 283-296. |
| Nelson, Mark T.
(2006): "What the Problem with Aquinas Isn't". New Blackfriars
87:1012, S. 605-616. |
| Oppy,
Graham (2001): "On the Lack of True Philosophic Spirit in Aquinas". Philosophy
76:4, S. 614-624. |
| Oppy, Graham
(2009): "What the Problem with Russell Isn't". New Blackfriars
90:1030, S. 680-686. |