International graduate student group

Aquinas, Alfarabi, Avicenna, Averroes, Maimonides & Albertus

The International Graduate Student Group of the Aquinas and ‘the Arabs’ International Working Group (AAIWG)

The Graduate Student Group of the AAIWG sponsors discussions, reading groups, invited talks, and an annual February online Workshop.

Events for the 2015-16 Academic Year

(forthcoming)

2015-16 Officers:

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Chapter News

29 August 2014:

Seminar 29 August 2014

On the Important Roles Islamic Philosophy Played

in the Development of European Philosophy

Sponsored by the Midwest Seminar in Ancient & Medieval Philosophy

and the Aquinas and ‘the Arabs’ International Working Group, Marquette University Graduate Student Chapter

When: 8:30 am - 11:30 am, Friday 29 August 2014

Where: Raynor Library 320a

8:30-9:50 am

Ms Tracy Wietecha*

“On Method in Reading the De Ente et Essentia:

An Analysis of Joseph Owens, John Wippel and R. E. Houser”

Abstract

In this paper I explore methodological approaches to Aquinas' argument for a real distinction between essence and existence in creatures in De Ente et Essentia. Joseph Owens and John Wippel examine the text through three stages which, they conclude, result in a demonstration for the real distinction. I contrast this approach with R.E. Houser, who argues that Aquinas' text, which proceeds dialectically, must be understood within the context of its sources, namely Avicenna's Metaphysics of the Healing and The Intentions of the Philosophers by al-Ghazali. I will come to two adjudications: first I will offer an evaluative judgment on Owen's and Wippel's disagreement on which stage Aquinas demonstrates a real distinction; second I will offer an evaluative judgment on the nature of the treatise as a whole, ultimately arguing for the methodology of source based contextualism which studies a text within the context of the sources used to produce the text.

10:00 am - 11:30 am

Mr Nathan Blackerby*

“The Avicennian Nature of Aquinas’s ‘Aristotelian’ Hylomorphism”

Abstract

Throughout his career, Thomas Aquinas follows Avicenna in distinguishing essence and form in sensible substances. Since essence is the principle that determines substances to be the kinds of things they are, and since sensible substances are hylomorphic composites, the essence of any sensible substance includes both form and matter. By contrast, the form of any sensible substance is the principle that determines its matter to be actual. On this view, sensible substances are a combination of essence and supposit in addition to hylomorphic composition. I argue that this modified conception of hylomorphism is crucial to Aquinas's view that human beings possess souls that are both subsistent and substantial forms.

*Both of these papers have been accepted for presentation at the 10-12 October 2014 meeting of the American Catholic Philosophical Association in Washington, DC, through a competitive blind evaluation procedure.

2 February 2014:

This chapter was formed 24 January 2014 in response to strong philosophical interest in Aquinas, Aquinas and the Arabic Tradition, and issues in the Arabic tradition on the part of the student members subsequent to the Fall 2013 Aquinas graduate course (Profs. Taylor MU & Robiglio KUL) and the Spring 2013 Classical Islamic Philosophy graduate course (Prof. Twetten MU). The Chapter members decided to sponsor two events at Marquette, (1) a Philosophy / Theology Graduate Student and Faculty Reading Group on Aquinas’s Super Boetium De Trinitiate and (2) an international graduate student online conference. For information, see Planned Events below.

Planned Events

(1) Philosophy / Theology Reading Group on Thomas Aquinas’s Super Boetium De Trinitate, an important work on method in theology and philosophy.

Dates: Six meetings in Spring 2014 semester. For details see below.

Time: 1-3pm*

Location: Raynor Library. For precise room location, see below.

A link to the text online can be found here:

http://www.dhspriory.org/thomas/BoethiusDeTr.htm

Primary focus will be on the six Questions of this work, one per session, as indicated below.

Schedule of Meeting Dates and Readings:

February 7th: Question One (please also read Aquinas’ Introduction and Boethius’ Preface) Raynor Study J

February 21st: Question Two, Raynor Study J

*March 7th: Question Three, Raynor Suite A. *Meeting Time Change: 12-2pm