Wednesday, June 22, 2011
John Finnis on the Good of Marriage
Marriage: A Basic and Exigent Good (via Mirror of Justice)
I have something in the works on the difference between "traditional" Thomistic moral theology/philosophy and the New Natural Theology regarding human goods. I maintain that in the former, the good to which we aim or which we intend is understood [primarily or exclusively] as an activity (or action), while it is understood within the NNLT as some sort of state or quasi-habit. This has an impact on the question of whether there is a single good which constitutes human happiness (and how various goods are integrated).
One could ask whether a model of practical reason is descriptive or normative. Some features of human practical reasoning are universal -- means-ends, the relationship of human desire to a (perceived) good (even if this is denied in a particular moral theory), the nature of practical reason as being focused on human action. Some aspects are present only to those educated (or raised) within a specific tradition.
I have something in the works on the difference between "traditional" Thomistic moral theology/philosophy and the New Natural Theology regarding human goods. I maintain that in the former, the good to which we aim or which we intend is understood [primarily or exclusively] as an activity (or action), while it is understood within the NNLT as some sort of state or quasi-habit. This has an impact on the question of whether there is a single good which constitutes human happiness (and how various goods are integrated).
One could ask whether a model of practical reason is descriptive or normative. Some features of human practical reasoning are universal -- means-ends, the relationship of human desire to a (perceived) good (even if this is denied in a particular moral theory), the nature of practical reason as being focused on human action. Some aspects are present only to those educated (or raised) within a specific tradition.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Emmaus Patch: Local Priest and Author Explores Orthodoxy in new Book
He says theology is not just theory and doctrine matters.
Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy
He says theology is not just theory and doctrine matters.
Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy
Monday, June 20, 2011
The FB page for CUA press announces that Fr. Emery's book, The Trinity: An Introduction to Catholic Doctrine on the Triune God has been released.
If bread is not a substance in itself, but a union of [substances] that constitute the bread, flour, salt, etc., then what happens when the bread is transformed into the Body of Christ? Is an accidental union replaced by a substantial union, with each part of bread a potential substance only when it is separated from the rest? Or is each part a substance unto itself?
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Peter Moskos on Flogging
Flogging Debate
Peter Moskos: Flogging versus prison
An interview with Peter Moskos
I first blogged about his book here.
Peter Moskos: Flogging versus prison
An interview with Peter Moskos
I first blogged about his book here.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Thomistica.net: Reflections on Ralph McInerny
Which reminds me, I should contact St. Augustine Press.
Which reminds me, I should contact St. Augustine Press.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Was looking at the program for this year's New Wine, New Wineskins Conference and this caught my eye: Michael J. Martocchio, “The Ethics of Sustainability”
I assume this is he, listed as a member of the adjunct faculty at Duquesne.
Related:
Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church
Richard Heinberg, Five Axioms of Sustainability
Kirkpatrick Sale, The Four Pillars of Sustainability
Thriving Beyond Sustainability: Pathways to a Resilient Society by Andrés R. Edwards
I assume this is he, listed as a member of the adjunct faculty at Duquesne.
Related:
Catholic Theological Ethics in the World Church
Richard Heinberg, Five Axioms of Sustainability
Kirkpatrick Sale, The Four Pillars of Sustainability
Thriving Beyond Sustainability: Pathways to a Resilient Society by Andrés R. Edwards
Idealism, subjectivity, and Divine Revelation
Kyle R. Cupp: Patriarchy, Theology and Doctrine, More on Power, Patriarchy and Truth, and Am I a Dissenter?
In combating controversy, the Church has refrained from declaring certain philosophical systems or statements or positions as erroneous, except when they manifestly contradict her teachings. Is there a new form of Modernism afoot, which is an attack not on supernatural knowledge directly, but indirectly through questioning of natural human knowledge (and communication, which is dependent upon language). How can a false understanding of human knowledge not lead to some form of neo-Modernism? The Church may need to declare certain propositions concerning human knowledge to be errors in order to safeguard Revelation, the authority of the Church, and Apostolic Succession, if such errors ever gain prominence, instead of being the speculation of academics lacking a solid preparation in philosophy. If the object of the intellect is not the thing but an idea or concept, then how is the idea connected to the thing? How can one possibly know that the idea represents reality?
Epistemology, knowledge, truth: what is the relationship between what one believes about human knowledge and Divine revelation here? Communication or teaching is meditated through human language, which is grounded upon human knowledge. But language is also grounded upon custom; hence part of education lies in untangling the two. Belief or faith doesn't require that the proposition is evident for one to assent to it; in fact, belief or faith is only possible when the proposition is not evident. Nonetheless, that the mind can have opinions is an indication that the mind transcends the material (and sensation)? So how does the modern distinguish between nous, episteme and doxa?
Not all are careful enough to define their terms in their arguments, and so "interpretation" comes into play, especially if there is no acceptable tradition providing definitions for those terms. But with respect to human knowledge (philosophy or science), one does not learn from words alone, but by checking those propositions against reality and what one already knows.
Regardig "realism" -- Aristotelian-Thomism is sometimes said to be "moderate" realism, while Platonism is "radical" or "extreme" realism. Plato does not deny that we have true knowledge, but the things that are the object of our knowledge are the Forms, not the material world. But the realism to which I refer is not with regards to universals, but to our knowledge; the contrast between realism and idealism. Can there be such a melding of realism and idealism so that it is still realism, a la "phenomenological realism"? If we have knowledge of ideas and things, then what makes the connection, and how do we know that such relation is true?
Are some mistaking the way we transition from confusion to knowledge through refining of definitions for something else? Our understanding of things can grow, but our starting point must be the thing, and not an idea of that thing. A "philosophy of hermeneutics" might be plausible if one was dealing with just opinions, and not reality. No wonder scientists scorn philosophers.
SEP: hermeneutics, phenomenology, epistemology
Modernism
In combating controversy, the Church has refrained from declaring certain philosophical systems or statements or positions as erroneous, except when they manifestly contradict her teachings. Is there a new form of Modernism afoot, which is an attack not on supernatural knowledge directly, but indirectly through questioning of natural human knowledge (and communication, which is dependent upon language). How can a false understanding of human knowledge not lead to some form of neo-Modernism? The Church may need to declare certain propositions concerning human knowledge to be errors in order to safeguard Revelation, the authority of the Church, and Apostolic Succession, if such errors ever gain prominence, instead of being the speculation of academics lacking a solid preparation in philosophy. If the object of the intellect is not the thing but an idea or concept, then how is the idea connected to the thing? How can one possibly know that the idea represents reality?
Epistemology, knowledge, truth: what is the relationship between what one believes about human knowledge and Divine revelation here? Communication or teaching is meditated through human language, which is grounded upon human knowledge. But language is also grounded upon custom; hence part of education lies in untangling the two. Belief or faith doesn't require that the proposition is evident for one to assent to it; in fact, belief or faith is only possible when the proposition is not evident. Nonetheless, that the mind can have opinions is an indication that the mind transcends the material (and sensation)? So how does the modern distinguish between nous, episteme and doxa?
Not all are careful enough to define their terms in their arguments, and so "interpretation" comes into play, especially if there is no acceptable tradition providing definitions for those terms. But with respect to human knowledge (philosophy or science), one does not learn from words alone, but by checking those propositions against reality and what one already knows.
Regardig "realism" -- Aristotelian-Thomism is sometimes said to be "moderate" realism, while Platonism is "radical" or "extreme" realism. Plato does not deny that we have true knowledge, but the things that are the object of our knowledge are the Forms, not the material world. But the realism to which I refer is not with regards to universals, but to our knowledge; the contrast between realism and idealism. Can there be such a melding of realism and idealism so that it is still realism, a la "phenomenological realism"? If we have knowledge of ideas and things, then what makes the connection, and how do we know that such relation is true?
Are some mistaking the way we transition from confusion to knowledge through refining of definitions for something else? Our understanding of things can grow, but our starting point must be the thing, and not an idea of that thing. A "philosophy of hermeneutics" might be plausible if one was dealing with just opinions, and not reality. No wonder scientists scorn philosophers.
SEP: hermeneutics, phenomenology, epistemology
Modernism
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Fr. Augustine Thompson: Current Status of the Dominican Rite: A Summary
Questions and Answers on the Dominican Rite
Questions and Answers on the Dominican Rite
Dr. John Cuddeback on Friendship
True Friends
The How-Tos and Joys of Christian Friendship
by Joseph Pronechen
There is a FB page for Dr. Cuddeback's book, True Friendship.
The How-Tos and Joys of Christian Friendship
by Joseph Pronechen
There is a FB page for Dr. Cuddeback's book, True Friendship.
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