Determinism, regularity and contingency: Thomas Aquinas and the assimilation of Aristotelianism regarding the autonomous order of nature

Vol 17, No 3 (2016) • Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy

Autor: Ana Maria Carmen Minecan

Resumo:

This article studies the assimilation, in the cosmology of Thomas Aquinas, of the necessitarianism of Aristotle’s physics. It analyzes the rejection of determinism by Aquinas regarding the mode of action of the first principle, and his acceptance of the Aristotelian theory of natural regularity and necessary causal concatenation of second agents as a sufficient explanation of physical dynamism. It also highlights Aquinas’ defense of the autonomous character of nature with regard to its procedural aspects, as it is capable of self-preservation due to the formal structure with which it has been created, and his limitation of divine intervention and tutelage regarding the maintenance of the physical order.

ISSN: ISSN: 1984-8234

Texto Completo: http://revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/filosofia/article/view/fsu.2016.173.05

Palavras-Chave: Thomas Aquinas,Aristotle,medieval physics,det

Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy


The journal Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy is published once every four months by Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos.

Articles must be original, unpublished, and not under consideration for publication anywhere else and can be written in Portuguese, English or Spanish

Filosofia Unisinos - Unisinos Journal of Philosophy prints articles, translations and critical book reviews. It also reprints papers that are considered fundamental to the area when authorized written permission is given by the original publisher.