Étienne Gilson was a preeminent scholar of medieval philosophy, revitalizing interest in the era and illuminating its connections to modern thought. His profound grasp of medieval thought, particularly its Christian foundations and relationship with reason and faith, earned him global acclaim. Gilson's work demonstrates how medieval perspectives can continue to inform contemporary philosophical discussions, offering insight into an unwavering conviction in God's existence as the bedrock of meticulous rational inquiry.
Exploring the philosophy of art, Etienne Gilson challenges the validity of contemporary artistic reproductions. He delves into the complexities of defining art, questioning the essence of what constitutes true artistic expression. For instance, he distinguishes between original works and their reproductions, such as photographs of paintings or images of sculptures. Gilson's inquiry raises fundamental issues about the nature of art in a modern context, particularly regarding the nuances of recorded music and its relationship to traditional forms of artistic creation.
The Christian Philosophy of Saint Augustine is a comprehensive map to that vast world of Augustinian thought which has enriched the entire history of philosophy and theology since the Patristic era.
Exploring the philosophical evolution of society, this work delves into the transformation of human thought and culture through the lens of historical events. It examines the interplay between divine influence and societal change, offering insights into the moral and ethical implications of these metamorphoses. The text serves as a critical reflection on the relationship between humanity and the divine, making it a significant contribution to philosophical literature.
Exploring the historical significance of Thomism, the central essay highlights Gilson's nuanced perspective on traditional theologians who opposed Aquinas and the Latin Averroists. He further examines the impact of Scholastic thought on Descartes, particularly in his philosophy and natural science, including meteorology. The text delves into Descartes' engagement with Harvey's discovery of blood circulation, revealing Descartes' own distinct yet misguided interpretation. This work offers insights for both newcomers and seasoned readers of Gilson's scholarship.
The highly regarded French philosopher, tienne Gilson, brilliantly plumbs the depths of Thomistic Realism, and false Thomisms as well, in this answer to Kantian modernism. The important work, exquisitely translated by Mark Wauck, brings the essential elements of philosophy into view as a cohesive, readily understandable, and erudite structure, and does so rigorously in the best tradition of St. Thomas. Written as the definitive answer to those philosophers who sought to reconcile critical philosophy with scholastic realism, Gilson saw himself as an historian of philosophy whose main task was one of restoration, and principally the restoration of the wisdom of the Common Doctor of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas. Gilsons thesis was that realism was incompatible with the critical method and that realism, to the extent that it was reflective and aware of its guiding principles, was its own proper method. He gives a masterful account of the various forces that shaped the neo-scholastic revival, but Gilson is concerned with the past only as it sheds light on the present. In addition to his criticisms, Gilson presents a positive exposition of true Thomist realism, revealing the foundation of realism in the unity of the knowing subject.
This short book is a work of one of the 20th century's greatest philosophers and historians of philosophy, Etienne Gilson. The book's title, taken from the first chapter, may sound esoteric but it reflects a common-sense outlook on the world, applied in a methodical way. That approach, known as realism, consists in emphasizing the fact that what is real precedes our concepts about it. In contrast to realism stands idealism, which refers to the philosophical outlook that begins with ideas and tries to move from them to things. Gilson shows how the common-sense notion of realism, though denied by many thinkers, is indispensible for a correct understanding of things--of what is and how we know what is. He shows the flaws of idealism and he critiques efforts to introduce elements of idealism into realist philosophy (immediate realism). At the same time, the author criticizes failures of certain realist philosophers--including Aristotle--to be consistent in their own principles and to begin from sound starting points. To these problems, Gilson traces medieval philosophy's failure in the realm of science, which led early modern scientific thinkers of the 17th century unnecessarily to reject even the best of medieval scholastic philosophy. He concludes with The Realist Beginner's Handbook, a summary of key points for thinking clearly about reality and about the knowledge of it.
