Thomas Aquinas and His Predecessors takes us on a voyage through the history of philosophical thought as present in the works of Thomas Aquinas. It is a synthetic presentation of the works and thought of the great predecessors of Aquinas, as he kne

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Saint Thomas Aquinas in next to no time with this concise guide. 50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of the life, work and ideas of the medieval philosopher Thomas Aquinas. Unlike many of his influential predecessors, Aquinas believed that reason and faith are not separate and incompatible, but rather are two ways of attaining knowledge of God. He was a prolific commentator on the Bible and the writings of Aristotle, and some of his works, including in particular his masterpiece the Summa theologiae, continue to form the basis of Catholic doctrine over 700 years after his death. In many ways, Aquinas was far ahead of his time: his views on personal and political morality emphasised the importance of individual freedom, and even paved the way for later democratic and secular ideas. He was canonised in 1323 and made a Doctor of the Church in 1567. In just 50 minutes you will: • Learn about the intellectual context in which Aquinas was working and the earlier philosophers who influenced his writings • Discover Aquinas’s main works, including the Summa theologiae and the Summa contra gentiles, and the key ideas of Thomist thought • Understand the continuing influence of Aquinas’s work within the Catholic Church ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture 50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.

The Summa Theologica is one of the most influential and comprehensive works of medieval philosophy and theology. Written by St. Thomas Aquinas, a brilliant theologian and scholastic philosopher, it covers a wide range of topics, from the existence and nature of God to the moral and political implications of human actions. In this voluminous text, Aquinas develops his famous arguments for the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, and the natural law theory, among other doctrines. He also engages with the works of his predecessors and contemporaries, such as Aristotle, Augustine, and Avicenna. Today, the Summa Theologica remains a key reference for scholars and students of philosophy, theology, and intellectual history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.