THOMAS AQUINAS’ SOCIAL TEACHING OF ABOUT THE TEACHER, TEACHING AND UPBRINGING

The article deals with the issues of F. Aquinas ' social teaching about the teacher, teaching and upbringing, which have not yet been studied in socio-political science. The article deals in more detail with the issues of F. Aquinas ' social teaching – knowledge and cognition, sign and word, language of learning, moral, moral and aesthetic aspects of teaching, on the transition and generation of knowledge from a student by a teacher, etc. The article notes that according to Aquinas, real education and upbringing is impossible without the use of authorities, authoritative books, their reading and interpretation. Learning means that one person transmits information about their knowledge or skill to another person. A teacher can be a person who independently expands his knowledge, is able to clearly formulate this knowledge for himself and transmit it to the student in an information accessible form for the student. At the same time, the article also pays attention to discussion issues.

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Philia and Social Ethics

Forum Philosophicum ◽

10.35765/forphil.2009.1401.02 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 17-37

Author(s):

Catherine Cowley

Keyword(s):

Social Ethics ◽

Thomas Aquinas ◽

Social Teaching ◽

Christian Social Ethics ◽

Human Love ◽

The Poor ◽

Preferential Option ◽

Different Characteristics ◽

Significant Opportunity

Benedict XVI's first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est, treated the different characteristics of human love and their expression. The first section discusses eros and the second shows how agape provides the essential framework for Catholic charitable organisations. I will be arguing that by omitting any reflection on the role of philia, he missed a significant opportunity to retrieve an important part of the Tradition and expand our usual understanding of the elements of social ethics. Part I briefly gives the background of Benedict's non-use of philia in his encyclical and indicates the basis for the view that philia has no place in Christian social ethics. The favoured approach is that of agape. Part II presents Thomas Aquinas' view of friendship and how it might counter the shortcomings identified by the authors in Part I. Part III applies his view of friendship to the key principles in Catholic social teaching of solidarity and preferential option for the poor. Part IV concludes with some general summary remarks.

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