Summa Theologica
by Thomas Aquinas, Kennedy, Daniel Joseph, 1862-1930 · first published 1467
40% recommend60% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Dense but structured survey of medieval theology and philosophy, tracing the origins of Western thought. Its article format suits dipping in and reading one section at a time.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Thomas's magnum opus, comprising a systematic integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Christianity. Covers topics such as the nature and existence of God, human nature, law and morality and the relationship of God, world and humans.
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If you are interested in Western Catholic philosophy (considering its dominance from 500-1500 and ongoing influence in our world), I'd recommend reading from the Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas. Even if you are not Catholic, it will give you a much better understanding of the origins of modern Western thought. From Wikipedia: "Throughout the Summa, Aquinas cites Christian,…
on “Ask HN: Learning about philosophy” ↗Some of the best philosophy books I've found for free online: Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica. Even though you may not agree with his conclusions, it is still a remarkable piece of work. http://www.ccel.org/a/aquinas/summa/FP.html David Stove does a good job debunking Hume's problem of induction,…
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗Since it looks like skeptical philosophy is covered pretty well, here are some books from religious philosophy that you'd probably do well to read: The Tao te Ching The Summa Theologica by Thomas Aquinas An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent by John Henry Newman Either/Or by Kierkegaard
on “Ask HN: Best Philosophical Books?” ↗4th-5th century: Confessions and City of God by St. Augustine 13th century: Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas 14th century: The Divine Comedy (includes Inferno) by Dante Alighieri 20th century: Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton, Mere Christianity and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, Humanae…
on “Ask HN: Which is the best spiritual book you have read?” ↗…oppressor, and oneness in the body of Christ as true freedom. Some other texts I think we would all like: St Cyprian of Carthage: On Almsgiving St. Thomas Aquinas on the Universal Destination of Goods (Summa Theologica) St. Thomas Aquinas on Distributive Justice (Summa Theologica) Pope Francis’ Laudito Si Anything by or about Bl. Oscar Romero St. Augustine’s City of God Most of Pope Benedict XVI’s scholarly work,…
on “Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan shaped modern politics” ↗>- Shy away from religion. Find the truth by yourself Keep an open mind. While reading the Stoics take the trouble to read Augustine's Confessions or dip into Aquinus' Summa Theologica. Breeze through the Quran. Spend some time with the Book of Mormon. Drop into a synagog and get to know the worshipers there. Don't dismiss ideas out of hand. Contemplate them, and let your curiosity…
on “A Simplified Modern Approach to Stoicism” ↗The Summa Theologica is actually relatively easy to read, especially if you have some background in it and a good translation. Since it's divided into sections, you can poke it before bed now and then. You don't even have…
on “Knuth's Art of Computer Programming, V 4B, has gone into print” ↗A significant resource for the concept of curiositas is the virtues section of the Summa Theologica https://www.newadvent.org/summa/3167.htm For those new to the Summa, generally speaking, it is good to read an article starting with the On the Contrary and the I Answer That, and then proceed on to…
on “My Bad Habit of Hoarding Information” ↗…expansive scope (hello, metaphysics anyone?), and frankly, IMO, the most well-defended and defensible. . Truth is not decided by majority vote. > If you aren't really familiar with the contents of the Summa Theologica, you probably won't get much out of Feser's essays. Again, not true. He writes in an eminently accessible manner. His book "The Last Superstition" is 101 material. Having some familiarity with basic…
on “The Problem with the "Hard Problem"” ↗A weekly Summa Theologica reading group, attended by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, led by a professor with credentials in philosophy and theology, was one of the best experiences of my life: https://sacred-texts.com/chr/aquinas/summa/
on “Thomas Aquinas' skull reveals appearance and cause of death” ↗…philosophy (at least not according to the modern understanding of it); most of his work is theology that happens to have philosophical implications. But as Thomas notes in the opening articles of the Summa Theologica, theology as a scientia takes divine revelation as its first principles and makes rational deductions on the basis of that deposit of revelation. Importantly, however, it pursues its ends using particularly…
Aquinas wasn't quite so thorough in all his works. It's mostly the Summa Theologica which is so rigorous. I agree with the application however, for one to brook disagreement with another, one should usually understand the subject better than that person. This implies understanding your…
on “How to Disagree” ↗Over the summer I built a set Catholic theological writings by scouring used book stores that I plan diligently going through over the next couple of years. I say years because I also have St. Aquinas' Summa Theologica (complete) in there as well. I am really interested in seeing the path I take going through these as adult.
on “On St. Augustine's Confessions” ↗You may be aware, but for the edification of others I would point out that these ideas find their roots much earlier than Grotius. For example Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica, "In cases of need all things are common property." [1] [1] http://www.newadvent.org/summa/3066.htm#article7
on “Confessions of A Job Destroyer” ↗…regarded as being able to articulate views which contradicted his own better than those who argued the opposing views in the first place. His best-known work, wherein you can see this skill at work, is his Summa Theologica[2]. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas [2] http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1.htm [&] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summa_Theologica
on “How to Burst the "Filter Bubble" that Protects Us from Opposing Views” ↗