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Aquinas (A Beginner's Guide) Paperback – September 1, 2009

by Edward Feser (Author)

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One of the most influential philosophers and theologians in history, St. Thomas Aquinas was the father of modern philosophy of religion, and is infamous for his "proofs" for God’s existence. In this cogent introduction to the great Saint's work, Edward Feser argues that you cannot fully understand Aquinas' philosophy without his theology and vice versa. Covering his thoughts on the soul, natural law, metaphysics, and the interaction of faith and reason, this will prove indispensable for students, experts or the general reader.

Aquinas (A Beginner's Guide)

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Product Details

Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Oneworld Publications; 44791st edition (September 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1851686908
ISBN-13: 978-1851686902
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.6 x 7.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #87,543 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Medieval Thought
- #51 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Philosophers
- #165 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Religious

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Top Customer Reviews

Clearest and Best Introduction to Thomism

ByAshton Wilkinson December 5, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

E. Feser's introduction to Aquinas' thought was exactly what I was looking for: a clear, contemporary introduction (and defense!) of Aquinas' thought which interacts with modern objections. Having read introductions by Ralph McInerny, Henri Renard, F. Copleston, Jacques Maritain, and A. Sertillanges, I can say that Feser's book is better than all of them.

First of all, Feser is faithful to Aquinas' thought. In content, Feser's philosophy is aligned with something, say, Garrigou-Lagrange might write, the difference only being style. If you think Garrigou-Lagrange understood Aquinas, then you will think Feser has, too. Most of the authors I mentioned above more or less understand Aquinas adequately, so far as I can tell. Like them, Feser won't give you any surprises by departing from the tradition (like, say, E. Stump might).

Second, Feser's book is better because it is clearer. There are plenty of thinkers who understand Aquinas decently enough---one thinks of Maritain or Renard, for example. But anyone who has tried to read these thinkers is painfully aware that their prose is not always clear. Feser has given us a book which is in a class by itself for clarity. If you are puzzled by 'matter', 'form', 'act', 'potency', and so on, then this is the book for you.

Third, Feser's book is better because it understands modern thinkers and their objections to Aquinas. Feser admirably defends the existence of God, the classical attributes of God (including divine simplicity), the immortality of the soul, Aquinas' ethical theory, and so on. Not only this, but he shows why objectors to Aquinas usually have not understood him properly. He treats older objectors like Locke, but also newer ones like Dawkins (and many analytical philosophers, too). It is especially its mastery of analytical philosophy and the issues it brings up which makes this book relevant to modern concerns.

Fourth, Feser has a list of recommended reading which is very, very useful.

And to top it all off, this book has one of the best discussions of causality, especially final causality, which I have encountered.

So, if you're shopping for one book to start with in studying Aquinas, you've found it. Or if you've read many introductions but still feel lost, this is the book for you, too. Feser brings the clarity of analytical philosophy, the relevance of modern issues, and the content of classical Thomism all together in this volume.

1515 comments 180 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Required Reading in Philosophy

ByG. Kyle Essaryon May 23, 2010

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

Whenever I picked up The Last Superstition by Dr. Feser, I expected a standard critique of the poor reasoning of New Atheists. It excelled in that regard, but went further and opened my eyes to a whole realm of philosophy that I had never even properly considered. Whenever you take a standard introduction to philosophy you are told that Aristotle was largely influential, but that when his understanding of physics fell apart so did his metaphysics. Things like "final causes" had been disproved by modern science.

Thus, you are required to read a passage or two, and then quickly move to more "modern" things like Descartes, Hume, Kant and of course the plethora of readings in modern analytic philosophy. It is in these modern readings that you will learn of such things as the "mind-body problem" or the "problem of induction." When studying the philosophy of mind, you will learn of the troubles of accounting for qualia or intentionality on physicalist accounts, and the "interaction problem" for dualists.

After reading Feser's book against the New Atheism, my eyes were opened. Aristotle's metaphysics were in no way disproven by modern science, nor were they even adequately argued against by modern philosophy as much as they were simply ignored as the mechanistic view of the world became standard. I learned that these "classical problems" in philosophy were not classical at all, but that they were simply the result of accepting the mechanistic paradigm and were not problems in the Aristotelean-Thomistic tradition. Aquinas' "proofs" of God's existence that Dawkins dismisses (mainly due to his ignorance of the topic), are not even "proofs" but metaphysical demonstrations that must be true if his metaphysical principles are true.

Feser takes the basic outlines given concerning the A-T tradition in The Last Superstision and expands on them in this book. He takes the reader through a general introduction to Aquinas' Metaphysics, followed by a wonderful explanation and defense of his Natural Theology (and thus the famous Five Ways), followed by his Psychology ("philosophy of mind") and Ethics. I will not spoil the book by giving a chapter-by-chapter outline of the book, but would strongly encourage anyone interested in philosophy and particularly those who struggle with the modern "problems" in philosophy to think outside of the box and read this book.

Even if you think you are familiar with the A-T tradition, but have dismissed it for some reason, please read this book and see if you have rejected the tradition for valid reasons or simply due to a misunderstanding. When given the opportunity to teach or discuss introductions to philosophy, I will insist that this book is required reading.

33 comments 83 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Aquinas' Revenge

ByJ. Bourneon October 21, 2009

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book not only clearly elucidates Aquinas' central philosophical theses, it also demonstrates that Aquinas, and indeed Aristotle, are just as relevant to our modern world as they were in their own respective times.

Beginning with Aquinas' view of reality in general, Feser provides brief but highly detailed and carefully crafted chapters that explain Aquinas' arguments for God's Existence, His divine attributes, the immortality and immateriality of the soul, and classical natural law (not to be confused with any modern version of new natural law theory). Moreover, Feser concisely critiques some of the more historically popular objections to Aquinas' arguments showing how they not only fail to forcefully counter Aquinas' claims but also how most of them do not even object to Aquinas on his own terms. In other words, most modern critics do not even properly understand what Aquinas is actually saying, and a careful analysis of the arguments is usually enough to respond to many of the objections against him.

This is a short and excellent introduction to the thought of the Angelic Doctor. I highly recommend it to all readers who are interested in philosophy and to those who think that Aquinas' philosophy is outmoded or that his arguments have long been conclusively refuted. Finally, to those who thought that Feser's previous book, The Last Superstition, was too polemical in nature, this book contains much of what is in TLS but with a much more "academic" tone.

77 comments 65 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most Recent Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to Aquinas

Feser tells the story of Aquinas's philosophy and theology from the perspective of the man himself, contrasting it with modern philosophy rather than attempting to ground it in...Read more

Published 13 days ago by A. Schaefer

Well written in simple lanquage for lay people

Published 26 days ago by J. Alfred Smith Sr.

Among the Best Introductions to Any Topic I Have Encountered

This is an excellent introduction, regardless of the content in it. I believe Feser must have done some sort of study of what constitutes a classic and indispensable introductory...Read more

Published 1 month ago by David Milliern

Outstanding read that provides a great insight into natural law

Outstanding read that provides a great insight into natural law, natural theology that has been lost to all too many and appreciated by all too few.

Published 1 month ago by A. F. Cieszkiewicz

Best introduction to Aristotelian-Thomistic philosophy I have found yet.

Dr. Feser provides a very straightforward introduction to the subject matter. He is especially good with understanding how most of the people hostile to the tradition see it and...Read more

Published 4 months ago by R.F.P.

Well done book, very informative and helpful everyone should read this book

Published 4 months ago by Steven Anderson

Another really great book by Edward Feser

Another really great book by Edward Feser! It is a clear and concise rendering of Aquinas' most important contributions. It is a short course on his metaphysics.Read more

Published 4 months ago by S. Johnson

An Excellent Primer on the Philosophy and Theology of Aquinas

This is an excellent primer on the philosophy and theology of Aquinas, as well as an excellent introduction to the Aristotelian metaphysical framework upon which Aquinas built...Read more

Published 6 months ago by Robert W. Childress

Great even for non-philosophers

As someone not well versed in metaphysics or philosophy, this book was still a great read. It required some learning but it kept me wanting to read more.

Published 7 months ago by Tyler L.

Not an easy a read as I expected. Very technical and difficult to follow. Hardly a "beginners guide".

Published 7 months ago by Johnboy

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