The Thomistic Institute Approaches to Reality and Paradigms of Certainty | Father Gregory Pine, O.P.
Sep 25, 2023
Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P., discusses the cryteriological difference between philosophy and theology, the preambles of faith and the fourth way, the foreignness and historical impact of the fourth way, the concept of a maximally such thing and modes of observation for certainty, errors in judgment and knowledge, and the basis of certainty in faith and the role of the divine truth.
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Reason From Degrees To A Maximal Cause
- The Fourth Way reasons from degrees of perfection to a maximal cause that grounds being and goodness.
- Thomas frames gradation (more/less) as pointing to a maximally true, good, and being which we call God.
Senses Testify But Need Context
- Sensory perception provides direct testimony because senses are tuned to proper sensibles and usually do not fail regarding their specific object.
- Errors arise from subject defects, corrupted media, or object anomalies, so account for those when trusting senses.
Three-Legged Deer Example
- Fr. Pine recounts seeing a three-legged deer on campus to show how expectations shape perception.
- Before knowing it was three-legged, he would have assumed four legs and possibly misreported the observation.