http://www.epas.utoronto.ca:8080/~loughlin/index.html
Stephen Loughlin
Welcome to my home page! I am a graduate student at the
University of Toronto in the last year of my Phd studies. My field of study
is medieval philosophy, with a particular interest in matters involving
psychology. My thesis concerns the doctrine ofpassio in the writings
of Thomas Aquinas, particularly in determining the psychological mechanisms
involved in the evocation of an emotion. Please feel free to e-mail
me if you have similar interests or would like to contribute to the
information below.
The picture below is a sculpture of Aquinas by Father
Bednar.
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Saint Thomas Aquinas,
a Dominican theologian, was born Thomas d'Aquino, the son of a baron, in
his family's castle at Roccasecca, central Italy, in 1224 or 1225. At about
the age of five, Thomas was placed by his parents in the Benedictine monastery
at Monte Cassino. His uncle had been abbot of the monastery, and his family
had similar ambitions for Thomas. When Monte Cassino became the scene of
a battle between papal and imperial troops, however, Thomas withdrew and
enrolled at the University of Naples in November of 1239, where he stayed
until April of 1244. There he came into contact with members of the Dominican
order and, against the opposition of his family, became a Dominican friar
in late April of 1244. Shortly after, in May of 1244, his family intervened
forcibly, having him abducted and detained thereafter at Roccasecca. His
mother tried to persuade Thomas for more than a year to give up his membership
in the Dominican order. Failing to persuade him, Thomas was allowed to
return to his order in July or August of 1245. He then went north to study
for his novitiate till 1248, after which he came under the guidance of
Albert the Great at Cologne until the Fall of 1252, during which time (1250/51)
he was ordained a priest. From the Fall of 1252 to the Spring of1259, Thomas
taught at the Dominican house of studies in Paris. It was during this time
that he lectured on the Sentences of Peter Lombard. Between March 3 and
June 17 of 1256, he was incepted as a master of theology, and was regent
master in theology at Paris until 1259, during which time that he began
his Summa contra gentiles. 1259 found Aquinas leaving Paris for
Naples, where he stayed until the Fall of 1261 as head of the Dominican
house of studies. From September of that same year to September of 1265,
Aquinas was at Orvieto as a lector, where he completed the Summa contra
gentiles. After a time at Rome in 1265 and Viterbo in 1267 (his great
work, the Summa theologiae was begun in 1266), he took up his second
Parisian regency from January of1269 to 1272. This was followed by his
assignment to Naples in 1272 as regent of theology. December 6, 1273 saw
the cessation of his writing, after a physical and mental breakdown from
years of overwork. While going north to attend the Council of Lyon, Thomas
injured his head, fell ill and died in the Cistercian abbey of Fossanova
on March 7, 1274.
To obtain his works (and
those of others), click here.
To download the works of Aristotle (Oxford), click here.
Here is an interesting site for medievalists.
The Summa Theologiae on line! Click here.
For info concerning the Busa edition of Aquinas's works, click
here.
For another site with Aquinas info, click here
To read De principiis naturae , click here
D. J. Kennedy's article from the Catholic Encyclopedia (supplied
by the Maritain Centre) has an excellent survey
of Thomism and an equally good description
of Thomas's life, works, method and influence.
Once again the Maritain Centre
has provided us with an invaluable service, an electronic version of the
Summa Contra
Gentiles. So far, they have Book One and two thirds of Book Two available
for viewing.
Stephen's PGP
Public Key and Info.
I , and not
EPAS, am responsible for the material made available here If you have
any comments or contributions to the above information, please e-mail
me.
Last modified August 12, 1996
Stephen Loughlin's Home Page/loughlin@chass.utoronto.ca
