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Why did Thomas Aquinas write commentaries on Aristotle?
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Scholasticism
Boethius, woodcut attributed to Holbein the Younger, 1537.
Thomas Aquinas wrote detailed commentaries on Aristotle primarily to serve as a scholar dedicated to discovering the genuine meaning of the philosopher's works. His efforts were driven by several key motivations:1
- Correcting Distortions: During his time, many conservative theologians viewed Aristotle with suspicion, partly because his philosophy had been distorted by various Islamic commentators. Aquinas wrote his own commentaries to demonstrate the essential soundness of Aristotleās system and to convince his contemporaries of its value for Christian theology.2
- Scholarly Rigor: Aquinas was careful to obtain the best available texts and analyzed the structure of Aristotle's arguments to follow their organization accurately.1
- Integration with Faith: He believed that reason and faith originate from the same divine source and cannot contradict one another. By clarifying Aristotle's thought, he sought to use it as a useful instrument to enrich Christian thought and communication.2
While he respected Aristotleās authority, Aquinas maintained his independence as a man of faith, modifying or correcting Aristotelian principles whenever they clashed with Christian doctrine.12