the educational theory of st thomas aquinas

8/18/2019 The Educational Theory of St Thomas Aquinas

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THE EDUCATIONAL THEORY OF

THOMAS AQUINAS (1225 - 1274)

Analys! "#$n %& 'al#n#*+,

1. Theory of Value

What knowledge and skills are worthwhile

learning?Knowledge and skills worthwhile learninginclude the study of logic, which teaches the

methods of the sciences, mathermatics, natural

philosophy, moral philosophy, and divinescience (ourke, 1!"#, p. $$%. &atural science

is considered the 'est means of understanding

man due to the method of reason. ogic isaddressed first in the learning process 'ecause

other sciences depend on ft. earning is to get

scientific knowledge from another. This leads

to sure knowledge, which is called science.This is most evident in the mathematical

sciences (ourke, 1!"#, p. $#%

)athematics is more certain than divine

science 'ecause divine science studies are

further from issues of sensation of whichknowledge takes its origin. These o'*ects do

fall within sense e+perience, such as figures

lines, and num'ers. )athematical thinking isconsidered easier and more certain than

physical or theological (ourke, 1!"#, p. $1%.t is taken as a clear kind of knowledge which

is capa'le of 'eing taught to youth withoutgreat difficulty (ourke, 1!"#, p.-%.

&atural philosophy chiefly emphasies themethod of reasoning. The method of

intellection is characteristic to divine science.

The learning of metaphysics provides theopportunities for the human intellect to 'e

used at peak capacity.

What are the goals of education?The goals of education are to teach man issues

which are worthwhile through knowledge of

different su'*ects. The use of logic will 'eused to teach man scientific knowledge,

mathematics, natural philosophy, and

metaphysics.

The 'elief of religious faith is also important

so that man can achieve everlasting life with/od (ourke, 1!"#, p.0$%

0. Theory of KnowledgeWhat is knowledge?

Knowledge is a particular kind of 'eing, a

modification. or vital action action of theknowing su'*ect. Knowledge does not occursimply from the thing, 'ut rather the thing

known and the person knowing cooperate in

the production of the issue (2eWulf, 1!3!, p.!%.

There are two different types of knowledge4sense knowledge and intellectual knowledge.

5ense e+perience is the 'eginning for all of

man6s natural knowledge. t 'egins in the

senses, and is completed in the intellect(ourke, 1!"#, p. 10%. There is a dual

operation to the intellect. 7ne operation is the

understanding of indivisi'ility, where theintellect grasps the reality of each item in

itself8 the other operation relates to com'ining

and distinguishing (ourke, 1!"#, p. 1$%.9:uinas 'elieved that several sensations

grouped together would create a memory, and

that many memories grouped together e:ualsense e+perience. 5ense knowledge is only

understanda'le 'y the action of the intellect.There are various types of sense knowledge4

sense;memory, sense;consciousness, instinct,and imagination (2eWulf, 1!3!, p. 10%.

5ense memory allows the individual toreproduce in one6s memory an image they had

seen. 5ense;consciousness gives an awareness

of an o'*ect through various sense perceptions.nstinct relates to a particular concrete

connection such as an individual fleeing from

fire. magination takes materials suppliedthrough sense memory and translates them intoa particular image composed of characters

derived from other images.

The second type of knowledge, intellectualknowledge, is a'stract and general. This

knowledge is :uite different from the concrete

and particular of e+ternal and internal senses.This was due to the fact that a'stract


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knowledge was attri'uted to intelligence or

reason (2eWulf, 1!3!, p. 13%.

The general a'ility to understand covers

simple apprehension, *udgment, and reasoning.5imple apprehension is when the mind accepts

an o'*ect without affirming or denying it. The

issue of *udgment is the reality that two o'*ectsare in agreement or disagreement. %.

What is a lie

9 lie is an act which falls upon impropermatter 'ecause words are signs of what is

understood. t is unnatural and unfitting for

one to communicate 'y word what was not inhis mind.

69 lie is of itself mean and something to 'e

avoided, while the truth is good and praiseworthy. (ourke, 1!"#, p.01%

>. Theory of =uman &atureWhat is a human 'eing?9 human 'eing is an individual su'stance of a

rational nature. The human individual is

composed of a 'ody and soul. The 'ody playsthe part of matter and the soul acts as the

su'stantial form (2eWulf , 1!3!, p. >%.

9s 'odily su'stance, man is a 'eing su'*ect to

the same general laws e+planations we have

for other 'odies. 5ince he is involved in

intellection and volition, this raises his 'eing 'eyond the philosophy of physical 'eings.

)an is the most comple+ creature and lives on

the 'order 'etween 'rutes and angels (ourke,1!"#, p. !0%.

=ow does it differ from the other species?)an is composed of 'oth 'ody and soul. &either the soul nor 'ody is complete. They

give themselves to each other, and form one

unit. t is 'ecause of man6s soul that thefunctions of man include the specific human

powers of knowledge and will (2eWulf, 1!3!,

p. $%. 9nimals perceive issues such asfriendliness and hostility 'y natural instinct,

while man compares things. )an6s will is

different from the sensitive appetite 'ecause it

desires good in general compared to thesensitive appetite which focuses on particular

o'*ects desired 'y the senses (@opleston, 1!"0,

p. !!%.

9lthough man desires happiness, it does not

mean that he is not free concerning hischoices. These choices of will are thorough

intellectual *udgments evaluating the o'*ects.

t is in the act of decision that man is free.Aven though true happiness is found in the

possession of /od, our intellect has not gottenthe vision of /od as the only source of

happiness. @onse:uently, man may willsomething other than /od (@opleston, 1!"0, p.

1##%.

What are the limits of human potential?

)an does not always will the good. =e may

will something other than /od, or evene+clude =im. )an may turn his eyes away

from the truth and to sensual pleasures

(@opleston, 1!"0, p. 1##%.

$. Theory of earning

What is learning?

earning takes place when one person teachesanother, and the teacher conveys knowledge to

the pupil6s mind 'y causing him to know what

he previously had the capacity to know 'efore(5pecimen Bages from the 5umma Theologica

of 5t. Thomas, p. >%.


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earning is to get scientific knowledge fromanother. This leads to sure knowledge, which

is called science. This is most evident in the

mathematical sciences (ourke, 1!"#, p. $#%

=ow are skills and knowledge ac:uired?

Knowledge must result from the activity of the pupil6s own mind. 9long with ac:uiringknowledge with the aid of the teacher, he can

also ac:uire knowledge 'y applying his mind

'y which he knows the first principles of allknowledge. The teacher often points out issues

which the pupil had not thought of and shows

the relationship 'etween concepts which the pupil would not have noticed without the

teacher pointing them out. 9:uinas stresses

that teachers are only for helping the student

know. The student must digest the knowledge.7therwise, it is like pouring water into a sieve

(5pecimen Bages from the 5umma Theologica

of 5t. Thomas, p. >%.

3. Theory of Transmission

Who is to teach?9:uinas depicts three things in the character of

those who are to teach4 sta'ility, clearness, and

purity of intention. With sta'ility, the teachermay never stray from the truth8 with clearness,

he is to teach without o'scurity, and the purityof intention, he may seek /od6s glory and not

his own (5pecimen Bages from the 5ummaTheologica of 5t. Thomas, p. 0%.

y what methods?n teaching, one should not overwhelm the

student with many useless :uestions, 'ut rather

with ones which are primary and fundamental.5tudents should 'e given a clear knowledge of

the issues. This is a general rule which should

'e o'served in educational institutions fromthe university to the primary school. Cailure tofollow this direction results in graduates

receiving a little 'it of everything and

knowledge of nothing (5pecimen Bages fromthe 5umma Theologica of 5t. Thomas, p. 0%.

Knowledge can 'e communicated through

'ooks which should 'e written Withconsideration for clearness and perception and

helpful to the memory. 9lso, in teaching,

Thomas advocates avoiding repetitions which

are unnecessary 'ecause they will causedisgust and confusion. Cor a young student, it

may 'e necessary to repeat the same thing, 'ut

vie must 'e aware of the limits of this process(5pecimen Bages from the 5umma Theologica

of 5t. Thomas, p. 0%.

What will the curriculum 'e?Knowledge and skills worthwhile learning

include the study of logic, which teaches the

methods of the sciences, mathematics, natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and divine

science (ourke, 1!"#, p. $$%.

)athematics is more certain than divinescience 'ecause divine science studies are

further from issues of sensation of which

knowledge takes its origin. These o'*ects do

fall within sense e+perience, such as figureslines, and num'ers. )athematical thinking is

considered easier and more certain than

physical or theological (ourke, 1!"#, p. $1%.t is taken as a clear kind of knowledge which

is capa'le of 'eing taught to youth without

great difficulty (ourke, 1!"#, p.-%.

&atural philosophy chiefly emphasies the

method of reasoning. The method ofintellection is characteristic to divine science.

The learning of metaphysics provides theopportunities for the human intellect to 'e

used at peak capacity.

". Theory of 5ociety

What is society?5ociety is a union of men for the purpose of

accomplishing a particular o'*ective. 5ociety

can 'e either pu'lic or private. 9 pu'licsociety is one whose mem'ers associate with

each other to esta'lish a repu'lic. 9 private

society e+ists for some private 'usiness whena few men *oin together for the purpose ofdoing 'usiness (ourke, 1!"#, p. 0>>%.

5ociety is also classified as perpetual ortemporary. @itiens *oining together to live in

a state is a perpetual society. Brivate society is

related to the 'ond 'y which people aregathered such as hus'and and wife or master

and servant (ourke, 1!"#, p. 0>>%.


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What institutions are involved in theeducational process?

The family is part of the educational process.

The children need instruction from their parents, not as soon as they are 'orn, 'ut when

they are a'le to arrive at discretion (ourke,

1!"#, p. 001% 9:uinas 'elieved the mainreason people got married was to havechildren and that hus'and and wife should

remain together until the children were fully

grown and educated. This reinforced 9:uinas6arguments regarding monogamy and the

indissolu'ility of the marriage 'ond

(Ancyclopedia of Bhilosophy, Volume ,1!"-, p. 11>%.

-. Theory of 7pportunity

Who is to 'e educated? Who is to 'eschooled6?

9ll human 'eings will ac:uire knowledge

through sense perception; Their power toknow things comes a'out through intellect and

understanding (ourke, 1!"#, p. >%

. Theory of @onsensus

Why do people disagree?

@hoice concerns the means to the final end ofhappiness, and it is possi'le for man to

consider o'*ects from more than one point ofview (@opleston, 1!"0, p. 1#1%

=ow is consensus achieved?

5ome may agree due to 'eing from the same

parents. 7thers do so 'ased on civil agreementsince they are citiens of the same state and

are under the same ruler and governed 'y the

same laws. 9lso, some agreement s found inevery 'usiness (ourke, 1!"#, p. 03%.

Whose opinion takes precedence?There must 'e due harmony 'etween thenatural and supernatural end of man so that

man prefers attaining the final end to anything

else. f a sovereign re:uires him to act contraryto the final end, he must diso'ey him

(@opleston, 1!"0, p. 1$0%.

R./n+s

ourke, V. D. (1!"#%. The Bocket 9:uinas.. &ew Eork, 5imon and 5chuster.

@opleston, C. (1!"0%. 9 =istory of Bhilosophy.

(Vols. 1;>%. &ew Eork, 2ou'leday and @o. nc.2eWulf, ). (1!3!%. The 5ystem of Thomas

9:uinas. &ew Eork, 2over Bu'lishing @o.

Ancyclopedia of Bhilosophy (1!"-%. Volume , &ew Eork, The )acmillan @ompany and CreeBress.

nfluence of 5t. Thomas on Bhilosophy.

http4Fhvww.nd.edu.F2epartmentsF)aritainFete+tFstaamp3.htm

5pecimen Bages from the 5umma Theologica

of 5t. Thomas.

http4FFwww.nd.edu.F2epartmentsF)aritainFete+

tFstaamp-.htmG=ints
http://www.nd.edu./Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp7.htmhttp://www.nd.edu./Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp7.htmhttp://www.nd.edu./Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp7.htmhttp://www.nd.edu./Departments/Maritain/etext/staamp7.htm

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