A signed LAC Non-Exclusive License form from this author is pending. / The relationship between philosophy and Christianity has, of course, a long history, as do the discussions of that relationship. My own position is not dissimilar to that of many of the early Church Fathers, though of course that position must be elaborated differently for various historical and personal reasons, and hopefully enriched by attention to the history of Western philosophy. As with all such relations, one's understanding of this relation has a lot to do with one's understanding of the terms involved. To promote the possibility of "Christian philosophy" is also to comment on that "and" which might be understood to relate two otherwise distinct and irreconcilable terms. In the end I claim this "and" must be understood as that "love" which defines philosophy as the "love of wisdom" (and finally, the wisdom of love), and does so in terms which (almost) merge-with the surprising assistance of such thinkers as Martin Heidegger, Jacques Derrida, and Paul Ricoeur-with those of the Church Fathers cited. On the one hand, I intend nothing but the historical, orthodox, and catholic understanding of Christianity, especially with regard to the central figure of Jesus the Christ, the Trinitarian God whom He embodies, represents, and reveals, and the Scriptures given as The Bible. On the other hand, I present the specifically philosophical pertinence of this unique Person as such emerges from the texts of the "philosophers" considered, and in a manner which I claim does not force the issue by reading into their texts what is not there. Attending to a (Christian) philosophical reflection on (Christian) philosophy also offers elaborations of inherited doctrines, both Christian and philosophical, including a way to read and think unique to the outcome. Such is the adventure of this current work.

Dissertation "A thought journey of a philosopher-disident Bohumír Janát" deals with the life and work of a Christian philosopher and spokesman of Charter 77. The work is not divided into two parts, but each chapter includes both his personal and professional life as well as analysis of Janáts texts. The work begins with Janáts childhood and his studies at the Faculty of Arts at Charles University in Prague and continues with the period from graduation until the year 1989 when his texts already contain motifs he was developing for the rest of his life. Year 1988 was particularly important as at this time he was the spokesman for Charter 77. The third section is the period from 1989 to Janáts death in November 1998 when he produced most of his work. The work is especially pointing out that Bohumir Janát was always a critic of present, he ran against the spirit of the time - during and even after a totalitarian regime end in November 1989. He saw the coup as a revelation of God's power, not as a revolution. He hoped for a change in the mindset of the nation, for a turnover to the sphere of ethics and spiritual deepening. Post- revolutionary development, however, was a deep disappointment for him. His inspiring thinkers were S. Dunne, H. D. Thoreau, T. G. Masaryk and F. Nietzsche, whose philosophy...

Um estudo sobre a razão prática em Tomás de Aquino, analisada sob a luz de seus primeiros princípios. Parte-se da pergunta de como o ser humano descobre o que é bom e mau para si o que requer cobrir dois momentos distintos de sua obra: o tratamento dado à synderesis e, em seguida, como os princípios por ela apreendidos se articulam e como funcionam na mente humana. Defende-se, por fim, que é um equívoco ler os princípios da lei natural como primariamente normativos no sentido deontológico do termo. São, antes, diretivos, conferindo à razão prática individual os bens de cuja posse depende a felicidade humana. As implicações dessa leitura para a ética de Tomás de Aquino que aparece agora sob forte roupagem eudaimonista são, por fim, analisadas. / The present study focuses on Aquinass exposition of practical reason, analyzed in light of its first principles. We begin with the question of how an individual human being discovers what is good and bad for himself, which is at the root of natural law, that is, rationally grounded morality. This requires covering two distinct moments of Aquinass work: his treatment of synderesis and, after it, how the principles apprehended by synderesis relate to one another and what kind of knowledge they give to the human mind. It is argued that it is a mistake to see the first practical principles as normative in the deontological sense. Rather, they are directive, furnishing practical reason with the goods on whose possession human happiness depends. The implications of this reading for Aquinass ethics are then analyzed and his ethical stance emerges as strongly eudaimonistic.

1. Aim The thesis aims to explore Emmanuel Levinas’ philosophy as a fertile resource for Christian theology. In this general context, we focus specifically on the way Levinas opens the possibility of a language of alterity, or radical “otherness”, in theology, in a manner which escapes the limitations of such categories as objectivity, presence and Being. Recent attempts to employ Levinas’ philosophy for the benefit of Christian theology have hesitated to go beyond onto-theology. This thesis, however, aims to show how Levinas’ philosophy opens up a style of thinking and suggests a vocabulary of expression that can serve Christian theology, especially by intensifying its sense of encounter with Christ and of the Other in him. Accordingly, the thesis will make use of a number of Levinasian notions to critique and complement the theology of Hans Urs von Balthasar. This will lead to the development of what we call a “prolegomenon to a Trinitarian praxis”. 2. Scope The thesis firstly remarks on Christian theology’s discovery of Levinas’ philosophy. We then go on to introducing three of the major influences of Levinas’ philosophy, namely Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger and Franz Rosenzweig. This will be followed by an introduction to the life of von Balthasar. But the major part of the thesis will be made up of three extensive explorations. The first introduces a number of key terms and concepts in Levinasian thought, taking into account their possible contribution to the theology of von Balthasar. Here we examine especially the notions of “otherness” and “passivity”. The second exploration takes us into what might be called a recontextualisation of the major sections of von Balthasar’s theology (aesthetics, dramatics and logic) through Levinasian analysis. We will concentrate especially on von Balthasar’s treatment of Holy Saturday, the Resurrection, Trinitarian and Soteriological “Inversion”, and truth as participation. The third exploratory exercise attempts to develop a prolegomenon to a Trinitarian praxis. Intrinsic to the very understanding of this Trinitarian praxis is the notion of alterity to such a degree that ethical transcendence is the very inspiration for theology if it is to go beyond the limits of objectivity, Being and presence. This prolegomenon will, therefore, contain an articulation of Trinitarian praxis in the context of ethical transcendence, eschatology and soteriology. To this end, we employ Levinas’ ideas of passivity and otherness to critique von Balthasar’s eschatological conception of Christian existence and his soteriological understanding of the eucharist. Because Levinas and von Balthasar have both used the writings of Husserl, Heidegger and Rosenzweig as sources, there will be abundant references to these writers at various junctures in this study. Likewise, the views of a number of Christian theologians who have been influenced by Levinas (Purcell, Ward, Barnes and Ford) will be critically examined. 3. Conclusions The thesis concludes that, with the aid of Levinas’ ideas, theology is offered the possibility of breaking out of the limits imposed by traditional notions of objectivity, Being and presence. In reaching such a conclusion, the thesis contests von Balthasar’s prioritising of the beautiful by resituating his use of analogical thought. In this context, our study suggests new ways of speaking of Holy Saturday and the Resurrection, in a non-phenomenal manner. It means developing a theology of Gift to understand the unity between Christ’s missio and processio. Here we highlight the deepest problem to be faced by a theo-logic as one of giving priority to the ethical over the ontological. In short, the thesis argues for a conception of Christian life that goes beyond the categories of ontology and experience. From what we have learned from Levinas, we propose a notion of Trinitarian praxis in which we come to God by way of ethical transcendence.

Denna studie handlar om att beskriva, diskutera och jämföra de olika argumenten som de två teocentriska filosoferna Michael Northcott och James Gustafson har om miljöfrågan. Studien fokuserar på vad de har för tankar om ursprunget till miljökrisen, vilken position mannen har i skapelsen, vad naturen har för värde och vilka konsekvenser deras ställningstagande har för lösningen till miljökrisen. Till sist undersöker studien vad de har för kritik mot samhället, vilken lösning de har för en fortsatt utveckling av samhället utan att ytterligare skada naturen. / This study descirbes, discusses & compares the different arguments that the two theocentric philosophers Michael Northcott and James Gustafson have about the environmental issue. The study looks at their thoughts about the origin of the environmental crisis, humans position in creation, the value of nature and the consequences their environmental ethics have for solving the environmental crisis. FInaly the study examines their critique on society and their solutions for development of society without causing further harm to nature.

Um estudo sobre a razão prática em Tomás de Aquino, analisada sob a luz de seus primeiros princípios. Parte-se da pergunta de como o ser humano descobre o que é bom e mau para si o que requer cobrir dois momentos distintos de sua obra: o tratamento dado à synderesis e, em seguida, como os princípios por ela apreendidos se articulam e como funcionam na mente humana. Defende-se, por fim, que é um equívoco ler os princípios da lei natural como primariamente normativos no sentido deontológico do termo. São, antes, diretivos, conferindo à razão prática individual os bens de cuja posse depende a felicidade humana. As implicações dessa leitura para a ética de Tomás de Aquino que aparece agora sob forte roupagem eudaimonista são, por fim, analisadas. / The present study focuses on Aquinass exposition of practical reason, analyzed in light of its first principles. We begin with the question of how an individual human being discovers what is good and bad for himself, which is at the root of natural law, that is, rationally grounded morality. This requires covering two distinct moments of Aquinass work: his treatment of synderesis and, after it, how the principles apprehended by synderesis relate to one another and what kind of knowledge they give to the human mind. It is argued that it is a mistake to see the first practical principles as normative in the deontological sense. Rather, they are directive, furnishing practical reason with the goods on whose possession human happiness depends. The implications of this reading for Aquinass ethics are then analyzed and his ethical stance emerges as strongly eudaimonistic.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-05-03T13:48:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ivanbilheirodiassilva.pdf: 758515 bytes, checksum: d0fe03967105afc1b4ddd2bc3292d63e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-06-07T15:13:46Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ivanbilheirodiassilva.pdf: 758515 bytes, checksum: d0fe03967105afc1b4ddd2bc3292d63e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-07T15:13:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ivanbilheirodiassilva.pdf: 758515 bytes, checksum: d0fe03967105afc1b4ddd2bc3292d63e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-11 / O desafio cético, legado pela filosofia antiga, interpelou o pensamento cristão através de Agostinho. O filósofo tagastense, então, entregou-se à tarefa de enfrentar e superar aquele desafio em prol da possibilidade de edificar a filosofia cristã, tomada como verdadeira filosofia. Esta pesquisa se dedica à compreensão da forma como Agostinho enfrentou o desafio cético, investigando os elementos constituintes da postura filosófico-cristã elaborada a partir da obra Contra academicos. / The skeptical challenge, arising from ancient philosophy, arrived at Christian thought through Augustine. Then, the philosopher from Tagaste gave himself up to the task of confronting and overcoming that challenge in favor of the possibility to build a Christian philosophy, taken as true philosophy. This research is dedicated to understanding how Augustine faced the skeptical challenge, investigating the elements of his Christian philosophy, especially from the Contra academicos.

Is language a tool of empire or is empire a tool of language? This thesis examines the cultivation of Carolingian hegemony on a pan-European scale; one defined by a renewed interest in the study of language and its relationship to Carolingian eagerness for moral and spiritual authority. Intended to complement previous work on Carolingian cultural politics, this thesis reiterates the emergence of active philosophical speculation during the late eighth and early ninth centuries. Prior research has ignored the centrality of linguistic hermeneutics in the Carolingian literate programme. This thesis addresses this lacuna, demonstrating the symbiotic relationship between spirituality, language, and politics within the Carolingian world. The work appropriates prior investigations into the connection of semiotics and Christian philosophy and proposes the development of a renewed interest into ontology and epistemology by Carolingian scholars, notably Alcuin of York and Theodulf of Orléans. The correlation between linguistic philosophy and spiritual authority is confirmed by the 794 Synod of Frankfurt, at which accusations towards both the Adoptionist movement of northern Spain and the repeal of Byzantine Iconoclasm were based on the dangers of linguistic misinterpretation. The thesis also explores the manifestation of this emergent philosophy of language within the manuscript evidence, witnessed by the biblical pandects produced by Alcuin and Theodulf. Desire for the emendation of texts, not to mention the formation of a uniform script (Caroline Minuscule), abetted the larger goal of both infusing a text with authority (both secular and divine) and allowing for broader spiritual and intellectual understanding of a text. Increasing engagement with classical philosophy and rhetoric, the nature of Carolingian biblical revision, and the cultural politics as seen at the Synod of Frankfurt depict the primacy of language to the Carolingians, not only as a tool of imperialism, but the axis of their intellectual and spiritual world.

Este trabalho sustenta que o teólogo cristão do início do século VI conhecido como Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita exerce profunda influência no pensamento do teólogo e filósofo medieval Tomás de Aquino (1225-1274). Essa influência se dá principalmente em dois temas fundamentais da filosofia tomasiana: negatividade e participação. Negatividade diz respeito ao caráter de mistério que envolve as essências mais íntimas dos seres desde a natureza visível e o homem até o princípio de todas as coisas, Deus e que, portanto, não são plenamente compreensíveis para o entendimento humano. Participação se refere ao fato de que, por outro lado, o mundo participa do ser de Deus e, por isso, revela traços do divino, ainda que de modo deficiente e remoto. Dada essa influência de Dionísio, Tomás de Aquino não pode ser considerado um pensador racionalista, com respostas definitivas para todos os problemas da existência, como costuma ser visto por epígonos o que constitui uma deturpação do pensamento tomasiano, marcado pela consciência da insuficiência da razão. Para Tomás, não é possível aos homens ter clareza absoluta sobre qualquer assunto, daí, por exemplo, a necessidade de eles se conduzirem segundo a clássica doutrina cristã da prudência a virtude de agir corretamente, com base no límpido conhecimento da situação presente. Tendo em vista a negatividade e a participação, para o acesso às realidades mais profundas impõe-se o uso de metáforas, alegorias e símbolos, capazes de algum modo de se aproximar do que, afinal, é incognoscível. No que se refere ao conhecimento de Deus, a via de acesso é a mística entendida como uma experiência com o Absoluto que se dá num plano além da razão, e não aquém , uma vez que todo discurso racional, afinal, fala mais do homem do que de Deus. Como conclusão, este trabalho propõe que o pensamento negativo do Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita e de Tomás de Aquino precisa ser mais conhecido também por educadores, pois ele permite uma visão diferente da realidade, uma visão menos lógico-racionalista que tantos problemas tem trazido à sociedade contemporânea e mais sensível, lúdica e profunda, portanto, mais humana. No anexo, é apresentada a tradução, direta do original grego, do livro Da teologia mística, do Pseudo Dionísio Areopagita. / This dissertation argues that the Christian theologian of the early sixth century known as Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite exerts profound influence on the thought of medieval theologian and philosopher Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). This influence is mainly on two major topics of Aquinas philosophy: negativity and participation. Negativity means the character of mystery that involves the most intimate essence of beings from the natural world and man to the cause of all things, God and therefore not fully comprehensible to human understanding. Participation refers to the fact that, on the other hand, the world participates in the being of God and, therefore, shows traces of the divine, even in a poor and remote way. Given the influence of Dionysius, Aquinas can not be regarded as a rationalist thinker, with definitive answers to all problems of existence, as is often seen by followers which is a perversion of Aquinass thought, marked by awareness of the insufficiency of reason. For Aquinas, it is not possible for men to have absolute clarity on any issue, then, for example, requiring them to conduct themselves according to the classical Christian doctrine of prudence the virtue of doing right, based on clear understanding of the current situation. Given the negativity and participation, accessing deeper realities requires the use of metaphors, allegories and symbols, which are able somehow to get closer to that, after all, is unknowable. With regard to knowledge of God, the way of access is the mystique understood as an experience of the Absolute that is given beyond reason, and not short , since all rational discourse, after all, speaks more about man than about God. In conclusion, this study suggests that the negative thought of Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite and Thomas Aquinas should be more well known by educators, because it allows a different view of reality, less logical-rationalist that has brought many problems to contemporary society and more sensitive, playful and profound, therefore, more human. The annex includes a translation directly from the original Greek of The mystical theology, by Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:15:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Enio Starosky.pdf: 1295811 bytes, checksum: bcf48883268a61f35fbaf0b43527d6d4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-03-25 / Josef Pieper and C. S. Lewis are two of the main philosophers of the 20th century. This research aims to analyse their thoughts on love and their implications to education. Pieper and Lewis are important scholars who have gained enormous respect in the academic world for their original and profound works as christian thinkers. Their studies on love each author from his own point of view are a must for everyone who is concerned with education. Lewis and Pieper share a language-centered methodology that leads to clarify the common essence of loves (Pieper) and the four loves: affection, friendship, eros and charity (Lewis). And both thinkers are focused on ordinary language. The more love is a misunderstood word the more such a philosophical analysis is required. Education for love, according to Lewis and Pieper, is centered in philosophical anthropology, and this dissertation presents the connection between their conception of love and man and the education that follows. / Josef Pieper e C. S. Lewis são dois dos principais filósofos do nosso tempo. A presente pesquisa visa analisar as doutrinas desses pensadores sobre o amor e extrair as consequências para a educação. Pieper e Lewis são importantes intelectuais, respeitados por todo o mundo acadêmico, por conta de suas obras, originais e profundas, como pensadores cristãos. Seus estudos sobre o amor cada autor com seu próprio ponto de vista são incontornáveis para todos que se ocupam da educação. Lewis e Pieper compartilham uma metodologia centrada na linguagem, o que leva à compreensão da essência comum aos amores (Pieper) e dos quatro amores: afeto, amizade, eros e caridade (Lewis). E ambos voltam-se para a linguagem comum. Quanto mais a palavra amor é distorcida e deturpada hoje em dia, tanto mais é necessária uma análise filosófica como a de Pieper e Lewis. De acordo com os autores, a educação para o amor remete à Antropologia Filosófica e esta dissertação apresenta a conexão entre a concepção de amor e a de homem, e a educação que a elas se segue.