The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition
In this article I argue for the pedagogical complementarity of the perennial wisdom of St. Thomas and Mortimer Adler’s dialectical method of the Great Books, where the Great Books highlight the ministerial function of the imagination to the will and intellect in the order of learning. Characterized...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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International Étienne Gilson Society
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Studia Gilsoniana |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/1202393.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818328859906408448 |
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| author | Heather M. Erb |
| author_facet | Heather M. Erb |
| author_sort | Heather M. Erb |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this article I argue for the pedagogical complementarity of the perennial wisdom of St. Thomas and Mortimer Adler’s dialectical method of the Great Books, where the Great Books highlight the ministerial function of the imagination to the will and intellect in the order of learning. Characterized by communal inquiry, the thought of St. Thomas and the Great Books are shown to be well matched instruments of the special Providence by which we direct one another to our proper end. A review of key Thomistic dispositions of teaching and learning, the nature of authentic conversation, and various objections and replies to the Great Books method of education and its alliance with the thought of St. Thomas focus the analysis. Several points of contact enrich the task of liberal learning. The Great Books are seen to supply students of St. Thomas with the spontaneous play of associations, rapprochements and comparisons as they strive to apply texts to the practices of virtue and truth seeking, while the perennial wisdom directs the students’ personal exegesis through the rigor of philosophical principles, logic, and distinctions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:38:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5099c893fa65478098c9eb2e80f4b1a0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2300-0066 2577-0314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T12:38:52Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | International Étienne Gilson Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Studia Gilsoniana |
| spelling | doaj.art-5099c893fa65478098c9eb2e80f4b1a02022-12-21T23:45:43ZengInternational Étienne Gilson SocietyStudia Gilsoniana2300-00662577-03142021-03-0110110313310.26385/SG.100104The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books TraditionHeather M. Erb0Great Books Academy, USAIn this article I argue for the pedagogical complementarity of the perennial wisdom of St. Thomas and Mortimer Adler’s dialectical method of the Great Books, where the Great Books highlight the ministerial function of the imagination to the will and intellect in the order of learning. Characterized by communal inquiry, the thought of St. Thomas and the Great Books are shown to be well matched instruments of the special Providence by which we direct one another to our proper end. A review of key Thomistic dispositions of teaching and learning, the nature of authentic conversation, and various objections and replies to the Great Books method of education and its alliance with the thought of St. Thomas focus the analysis. Several points of contact enrich the task of liberal learning. The Great Books are seen to supply students of St. Thomas with the spontaneous play of associations, rapprochements and comparisons as they strive to apply texts to the practices of virtue and truth seeking, while the perennial wisdom directs the students’ personal exegesis through the rigor of philosophical principles, logic, and distinctions.https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/1202393.pdfthomas aquinasmortimer j. adlerphilosophia perennisperennial wisdomthomismthe great booksteachinglearningconversationliberal education |
| spellingShingle | Heather M. Erb The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition Studia Gilsoniana thomas aquinas mortimer j. adler philosophia perennis perennial wisdom thomism the great books teaching learning conversation liberal education |
| title | The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition |
| title_full | The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition |
| title_fullStr | The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition |
| title_short | The Perennial Wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Great Books Tradition |
| title_sort | perennial wisdom of st thomas aquinas and the great books tradition |
| topic | thomas aquinas mortimer j. adler philosophia perennis perennial wisdom thomism the great books teaching learning conversation liberal education |
| url | https://journals.indexcopernicus.com/api/file/viewByFileId/1202393.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT heathermerb theperennialwisdomofstthomasaquinasandthegreatbookstradition AT heathermerb perennialwisdomofstthomasaquinasandthegreatbookstradition |