Pseudo-Dionysius and the metaphysics of Aquinas / / by Fran O'Rourke.

• Superior document: Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters ; Band 32
• VerfasserIn: O'Rourke, Fran,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, The Netherlands ;, New York : : E.J. Brill,, [1992]; ©1992
• Year of Publication: 1992
• Language: English
• Series: Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters ; Band 32.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (320 pages)

In Aquinas' encounter with Pseudo-Dionysius can be discovered an integral philosophy of reality - a comprehensive vision of existence, depicting the universe in its procession from and return to the Absolute, according to each grade of reality, including man, its place in the hierarchy of being. The point of divergence is the primacy attributed, in turn, by the authors to the Good or to Being as a universal principle. Against this background the present work investigates the influence of Dionysius with respect to the central themes of Aquinas' metaphysics: knowledge of the Absolute, and its nature as transcendent; Being as primary and universal perfection; the diffusion of creation; the hierarchy of creatures and return of all to God as the final end. This is one of the few studies to date which considers in a comprehensive way the relation between these remarkable thinkers. By concrete example and continual reference it illustrates both the pervasive influence of Pseudo-Dionysius and the profound originality of Aquinas.

Table of Contents

Preliminary Material / Fran O'Rourke -- Abbreviations / Fran O'Rourke -- Preface / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter One Knowledge of God in Pseudo-Dionysius / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Two Dionysian Elements in Aquinas' Discovery of God / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Three Thearchia: The Transcendent Good / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Four Aquinas: Being, Non-Being and the Good / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Five Unity of Divine Causation in Dionysius / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Six Dionysian Elements in Aquinas' Notion of Being / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Seven Goodness of God as Subsistent Being / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Eight Pseudo-Dionysius: The Cycle of Creation / Fran O'Rourke -- Chapter Nine Creative Diffusion in Aquinas / Fran O'Rourke -- Epilogue / Fran O'Rourke -- Bibliography / Fran O'Rourke -- Index of Proper Names / Fran O'Rourke -- Studien und Texte zur Geistesgeschichte des Mittelalters / Dr. Albert Zimmerman.