2024 Spring: Metaphysics – Discovery of Ens inquantum Ens

But, despite the frequency with which the question again was asked, misunderstandings have continued, as ever, to cloud our vision—just the sort of misunderstandings that left Kant frustrated at the apparent “lack of progress” in metaphysics and propose his constrained “epistemological” system as defining the bounds of inquiry.

Yet, the prevalence of misunderstandings in so abstruse a question as “what is being?” should not prevent us from continuing to inquire. It belongs to us to seek such knowledge, as intimated by the opening line of Aristotle’s Metaphysics, insofar as we are human. We may never answer the question with the kind of narrow certitude one obtains in mathematics. That we obtain such certainties, after all, follows form the narrowness of the inquiry. No object proves as broad and impossible to encompass as being. Nevertheless, Thomist and Aristotelian alike hold that we may discover its meaning truly, if incompletely. In this seminar, we will take up the Aristotelian-Thomistic tradition of inquiry into ens inquantum ens, and begin our entrance into the study of metaphysics. To undertake such a study will require a calm and disciplined mind.

…it is desirable for each thing to be united to its principle; for through this unity consists the perfection of anything whatsoever. For this reason as well is circular motion the most perfect, as Aristotle proves in book VIII of the Physics, for it conjoins the end to the principle. Now, the separate substances—which are the principles of the human intellect, and to which the human intellect is related from itself as the imperfect to the perfect—are not conjoined to the human being except through the intellect: and it is for this reason, too, that the ultimate felicity of the human being consists in this union. Therefore, the human naturally desires knowledge.

Nor is it a valid objection to this that some human beings do not pursue the study of this science: for often are those who desire some end held back from pursuing it by some cause: either on account of the difficulty of seeing the quest through to its conclusion or on account of other occupations. Thus although all human beings desire this knowledge, nevertheless not all can devote themselves to the pursuit of its study, because they are detained by other things: whether by pleasures, or the necessities of the present life, or even because they avoid the labor of learning out of laziness…

…[but] a natural desire does not exist in vain.

Thomas Aquinas 1270/71: Super Sententiam Metaphysicae, lib.1, lec.1, n.4.

The primary texts for this seminar are all available online for free (PDFs will be provided of both primary and supplemental readings) but it is recommended that one have physical copies of both Aristotle’s Metaphysics and Aquinas’ Commentary on Metaphysics. This latter is available in 2 volumes, including Greek, Latin, and English texts of Aristotle’s work, from the Aquinas Institute through the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology [Volume I] [Volume II]. These large but handsome and sturdy volumes prove beneficial to a contemplative study of the works they contain (and the multi-language-facing layout allows for scholarly precision). The seminar will be conducted remotely through Microsoft Teams. Learn more about our seminars here. Discussions will be held each Saturday. Early access to the platform begins on 16 March 2024. Deadline to register is 4 April 2024. Download the Syllabus for more details.

Registration is Closed