Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas

Introduction

Critics have for a long time argued that there is no way that philosophy and religion can come together. In their argument, they find many a religious group conflicting with the sound doctrine purported by the philosophy arena. For those who have tried to harmonize the two disciplines, they have been met with complex questions on the authenticity and their grounds of arguments. However, the works of ancient (middle-age philosophers) and religious thinkers and scholars has had challenges too but there are two outstanding works that have gained credit from most, if not all, of the scholars and modern philosophers. In this Essay, the researcher takes a keen look at the works of Aristotle and that of St. Thomas Aquinas. To be able to tackle the essay well, it is important to ask at this stage, using Aristotle’s philosophy and Thomas Aquinas’s philosophical insights, is it possible to establish a connection between the warring sides of philosophy and religion? In this essay, the researcher will start by giving a perceived basic definition of magnanimous man, and then proceed on to the subject of power in relation to Aristotle’s Philosophy and Aquinas’s religious inclinations. This will then be followed by Pity and Mercy that will also be referred as the previous section too. Please follow through as the subject is dealt with in depth.

Before indulging into philosophical and religious inclinations, it is prudent to first give basic definition of man. According to Aristotle and Aquinas as quoted in Schall (1997), there is a common definition adopted that defines the terms magnanimous man as the great-souled man who walks with slow steps, has a deep voice which as per their gauge has level utterances. According to their arg...

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...gues that the occurrence of accidental destruction can change an otherwise virtuous man to act in unprecedented manner.

Works Cited

Anthony Keaty, (2005). The Christian virtue of mercy: Aquinas’ transformation of Aristotelian pity, HeyJ XLVI. 181-198. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://search.ebscohost.com/

Remi, Bragus, & Lydia, G., Cochrane, (2007). God’s Co-workers: Remi Brague’s Treatment of the Divine Law in Christianity – The Law of God: The Philosophical History of an Idea, The Political Science Reviewer 76-104. Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://search.ebscohost.com/

Scall, James, V., (1997). The uniqueness of the political philosophy of Thomas Aquinas. Perspectives on Political Science 26(2). Retrieved June 2, 2011, from http://search.ebscohost.com/

Thomas Aquinas, (1876). Lectura super Ioannem, Omnia Opera. Paris: Vives. Caput XI. 5(7). 159-160.