Philosophy

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) wrote widely in the fields of metaphysics and ethics as well as in theology. Furthermore, Aquinas was a well-read philosopher who had an extensive knowledge of the Bible, the writings of the early Church Fathers, and other philosophers and theologians including thinkers from Ancient Greece, Judaism, and Islam. Aquinas’ writing are reflected in the poetry of Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), especially in the structure and events of his Divine Comedy. In this course, we will examine Dante’s poetry as an introduction to the thought of Aquinas and as a way of understanding some of his philosophical ideas.