Video – Conferences #95: Newman-Scotus – Dr. Noone – Scotus Intuition & Abstraction

Ave Maria!

Dr Timothy Noone, professor of Scotistic Philosophy at Catholic University, gives the 2nd talk of the Newman-Scotus Symposium presented by the Conventual Franciscans at the Washington Theological Union on Oct 22-24, 2010.  He titled his talk Blessed Johns Duns Scotus on Intuitive Cognition, Abstractive Cognition, Scientific Knowledge and Our Knowledge of God. He discusses the cognitive process according to Scotus as it compares to that of the more familiar Thomas Aquinas. His goal is to give the background of Scotus' teaching on the process of human knowledge in order to provide a basis for discussing the similarities with Bl. John Henry Newman in his next talk the following day.

 

He explains that Scotus' main objection is that Aquinas is too focused on sense knowledge as were many others of his time. Scotus makes the distinction that although this focus may be the wrong conclusion we must still start with the senses but explain how more is added by intuition to make the sense knowledge intelligible.

Scotus believed that faith and reason can coexisting in the same mind. This is not possible in the strict sense of scientific knowledge, but in the wider sense it can. Broader knowledge of God falls under the subject of metaphysics, this was common until Aquinas who was the innovator. Scotus' innovation was the idea that the concept of being in the natural sense can be applied to God univocally. He stresses and clearly explains how this statement is actually very modest as compared to what Scotus' detractors insist. Although we can know God through natural reason we need revelation and Scotus explains that this is because we cannot know God's presence directly.

Fr. Ed Ondrako points out that intuition and abstraction of Scotus relates to Newman's notional and illative concepts. Then questions are answered at the end.

Ave Maria!

For more of this Symposium https://airmaria.com/category/air-maria-shows/conferences/newman-scotus-symp-2010/

For the book that is the final fruit of this Symposium: https://academyoftheimmaculate.com/products/the-newman-scotus-reader-contexts-and-commonalities

Audio (MP3)

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