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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Objections and refutations to those objections are presented for what reasons?

2. Whose will does Aquinas believe should always be fulfilled?

3. What is the format designed to suit?

4. The Summa Theologica is a tome of what?

5. Is created truth eternal, according to Aquinas?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the writing of the Summa Theologica.

2. What do many of the questions and answers Aquinas discusses reveal about him?

3. Who is Aristotle? How is he important to this book?

4. What does Aquinas say to the objections that the will of God must always be fulfilled?

5. What is said in response to the question of whether truth resides only in the intellect?

6. What does Aquinas say about potentiality and actuality?

7. What is a Thomist?

8. How does Aquinas' education benefit him?

9. Describe the format of this book.

10. The sixth article takes up the matter of the puzzle of whether the human soul is corruptible or incorruptible. What does Aquinas say about this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Question 85 discusses the mode and order of understanding.

Part 1) What is meant by this discussion topic? Why is it important to discuss?

Part 2) What is said about one's ability to understand many things at the same time? What do you believe about one's ability to understand many things at once?

Part 3) Why is composition and division important when discussing this topic? How is this connected to whether an individual can understand something better than another individual?

Essay Topic 2

Question 79 in Chapter 13 is in regards to the intellectual powers.

Part 1) Why does Aquinas seem to continue discussing a question that seems to have already been answered? What is added? Why?

Part 2) What does Aquinas say about angels and people? Why is this discussed? How does this relate to Question 79 in Chapter 13?

Part 3) What does Aquinas say about the type of power the intellect has? How does this relate to his other views about the intellect?

Essay Topic 3

There are two major thinkers other than Aquinas who the author most frequently names.

Part 1) Who are these thinkers? Describe them.

Part 2) Why are they included in this book? How do they support and/or challenge Aquinas' work? How does he deal with this?

Part 3) Why other thinkers are mentioned? Why? How does he use the ideas of these philosophers to benefit his own ideas?

(see the answer keys)

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