Graduate Papers by Dwight R . Stanislaw
Graduate Thesis for Holy Apostles College & Seminary, 2019
Thomas Aquinas states plainly on several occasions that the act of lying is intrinsically evil, a... more Thomas Aquinas states plainly on several occasions that the act of lying is intrinsically evil, and as such the liar acts immorally, inordinately, and viciously. What needs to be clearly established to defend this position is a robust definition of lying in conjunction with a proper demonstration of why it is always wrong without exception. This paper will therefore attempt to provide this defense from a Thomistic view by articulating moral acts, defining the act of lying, and arguing via philosophical reasoning and relevant thought experiments for the intrinsic wrongness and universal impermissibility of lying.
The doctrine of physical premotion (praemotio physica) has as one of its greatest proponents and ... more The doctrine of physical premotion (praemotio physica) has as one of its greatest proponents and defenders the eminent twentieth-century Thomist, Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange (1877-1964). Within the Thomist collective, however, physical premotion is not unanimously accepted. As such, there is a question as to whether the doctrine is problematic on its own terms and, more importantly as regards the current inquiry, whether it is faithful in presenting Thomas Aquinas’s own views as expressed in his writings. While some mention will be made to the first of these questions in the conclusion, it is the latter question upon which this paper will focus, specifically with respect to Garrigou-Lagrange’s understanding and articulation of the doctrine explicated in some of his major works. Thus, the primary aim of the paper will be to properly establish Garrigou-Lagrange’s doctrine of physical premotion and to compare this with a brief analysis of the principal texts supporting it so as to determine whether Aquinas’s view is preserved.
1. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 90, a. 1, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican P... more 1. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I-II, q. 90, a. 1, trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province (1947), at Dominican House of Studies (4 December 2017), at http://dhspriory.org/thomas/english/summa. 2. ST, I-II, q. 91, a. 2, trans. English Dominican Province.
Undergrad Papers by Dwight R . Stanislaw
A Thomistic account of spiritual formation is researched and assessed as being an integral part o... more A Thomistic account of spiritual formation is researched and assessed as being an integral part of the complete whole-person developmental strategy. The development of human persons is complex and presented herein are important areas of focus through the life span where spiritual formation is concerned. Both children and adults are considered and how spiritual development directly impacts their growth. Spiritual formation is looked at as regards the whole person where the final cause, i.e. telic goal, is complete human development according to human nature directed ultimately towards God.
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Graduate Papers by Dwight R . Stanislaw
Undergrad Papers by Dwight R . Stanislaw