CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2024
| Author | Srdoc, Tvrtko |
|---|---|
| Title | Freedom of the Human Will in Thomas Aquinas and Henry of Ghent |
| Summary | This thesis analyzes and compares the faculty psychology and action theory of two 13th-century philosophers, Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and Henry of Ghent (1240-1293). Historically depicted as adversaries, this study aims to offer a refined perspective on their positions within the intellectual milieu of the 13th-century. To understand their commonalities and differences, three themes were chosen for analysis and comparison. They are: 1) The relationship between the intellect and the will in these authors’ works, 2) Their theories about the primacy of either intellect or will in the soul, and 3) Their understanding of human free decision (liberum arbitrium). The analysis and comparison revealed several key insights. Firstly, Thomas’ approach to the relationship between faculties was found to be in line with what the author called the “intermingling” of the acts of intellect and will, while Henry’s approach was termed ‘voluntaristic’. Secondly, Henry was shown by the author to be more adamant about the primacy of the will within the soul, while Thomas’ approach to this question was proved by the analysis and comparison to be more balanced. Thirdly, Thomas’ idea of reason’s indeterminacy and Henry’s theory of the will’s self-actualization were taken by the author as the main differences and dividing points within the debate on free decision. Finally, the author suggested this thesis to be a first step toward a further understanding of how the ‘voluntarist’ theories deal with the problem of randomness of choice. |
| Supervisor | Geréby, György and Perczel, István |
| Department | Medieval Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2024/srdoc_tvrtko.pdf |
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