Volume 40 (2022): Edizione 1 (October 2022)

In this essay, I explain why I agree with Angela Knobel’s judgement that, despite recent claims to the contrary, Aquinas did not jettison from his mature theology the distinction of ‘human mode’ and ‘superhuman mode’ of action in articulating his understanding of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and their relationship to the virtues. However, I disagree with Knobel’s claim that, in his mature thought, Aquinas saw the infused virtues as inherently part of the superhuman mode. Rather, I argue that, in Aquinas’s mature thought, the infused virtues have an inherently human mode of operation, even if they can be elevated to the higher superhuman mode, when they operate in unison with the Gifts. I also diverge from Knobel in as much as I argue that the infused virtues have a default operation that is distinct from the Gifts, whereas a gift never operates without the co-operation of an infused virtue.

In heutigen Beschleunigungsgesellschaften werden Körper und Geist des Menschen auf eine ausserordentliche Weise beansprucht, die nicht selten zu physischen und psychischen Krankheitsverläufen führt. Medizin, Psychologie, Soziologie und Philosophie haben sich vermehrt in den letzten zwei Dekaden dieses Problems angenommen, Ursachenforschung betrieben, Diagnosen erstellt und Auswege aufgezeigt. Aufschlussreich und nicht ohne bedenkenswerte Anregung ist nun aber auch die Tatsache, dass schon Thomas von Aquin ein Phänomen aufdeckt und analysiert, das er mit der Tradition die ‘evagatio mentis’ nennt. Diese Fragmentierung des Geistes verortet der Aquinate in besonderer Weise in der menschlichen Geisteshaltung der Trägheit. Aktualisierenden Erkennungswert erreicht Thomas’ Untersuchung vor allem dann, wenn jene Zerfallsbewegung sich in mehrfacher Hinsicht des Erkennens, der Kommunikation und der inneren und äusseren Unruhe artikuliert. In neuerer Zeit haben aus philosophischer Sicht erst wieder phänomenologischexistentialistische Zugänge diesem Phänomen ihre Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt, so dass dieser Diskurs heutigentags auf vielen Feldern seine aktuelle Bedeutung und Brisanz aufzeigt.

This article deals with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, with infused prudence, and with the natural law. Prudence has an intimate connection both with the natural law and with the Gift of Counsel, and is thus pivotal to the argument made. In brief, it is argued that the Gift of Counsel perfects reason’s grasp of the demands of the natural law. This Gift, which proportions the believer to the instinctus of the Holy Spirit, guides him in all that pertains the attainment of ultimate beatitude. It does so, moreover, by actually enhancing human freedom rather than by undermining it. In order to make this argument, this article, in the first instance, turns to a treatment of the content of natural reasoning, dealing in particular with the primary and secondary precepts of the natural law.

This paper analyzes Aquinas’ understanding of persuasion and its impact for apologetics. It consists of three parts. The first explains the meaning of persuasion in his writings and the philosophical framework. The second explore the manner of convincing others towards truth. Finally, attention is drawn to Aquinas’ argumentative strategies and his recommendations on how to deal with contradicentes fidei. This permits to understand the theological value of gift of counsel as God’s persuasive manner to bring human being to the ultimate end. It demonstrates the dignity and freedom of rational creature that reach God in this way and imitate God whose will is not arbitrary force, but proceeds by reasons.