Aquinas and the Ship of Theseus: Solving Puzzles about Material Objects

Description

Thomas Aquinas has always been viewed as a highly important figure in Western Civilization, and the chief philosopher of Roman Catholicism. In recent decades there has been a renewed interest in Aquinas' thought as scholars have been exploring the relevance of his thought to contemporary philosophical problems. The book will be of interest not only to historians of medieval philosophy, but to philosophers who work on problems associated with the nature of material objects. Because human beings are typically understood to be a kind of material object, the book will also be of interest to philosophers working on topics in the philosophy of religion, philosophy of mind, and the philosophy of human nature. Although the work contains the kinds of details that are necessary for a work of historical scholarship, it is written in a manner that makes it approachable for undergraduate students in philosophy and so it would be a welcomed addition to any university library.

"Christopher Brown's study, Aquinas and the Ship of Theseus, is a straightforward philosophical discussion on the ontology of compound material objects... done in a highly accessible style that makes the presentation of complex issues easy to follow" Karin Boklund-Lagopoulou, GRAMMA, December 2007 "Christopher Brown's book, Aquinas and the Ship of Theseus, makes precisely the right kind of contribution to the literature. It is a timely and careful work, and it merits close attention-hence this extended critical study...It is interesting, well argued, and original, deserving a wide readership...My sincere hope is that Brown's work will encourage other philosophers to step in and continue doing the work he has begun. Brown has decisively shown that it is worth doing, and while his book is not the last word, it is an important first word."-Patrick Toner, American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, vol. 8, No. 4, 2007 -- Patrick Toner "Throughout the work Brown recognizes that some of the things Aquinas says differ from what many philosophers think today, but argues that Aquinas' claims are supported by very basic institutions. He also argues that they allow a resolution of a number of puzzles without sacrificing any important common-sense intuitions about matter. The fact that a philosophical discussion of material things written long before the current discussion-and certainly not written to solve these problems-could do this, is impressive. This is a very interesting book combining discussion of a current issue with the metaphysics and philosophy of nature of Aquinas. This is exactly the kind of writing needed for philosophers who focus on different eras to be able to betters to talk to each other." -John Wagner, Philosophy in Review