THOMAS AQUINAS IN PURSUIT OF ADDRESSING ETERNITY Cover Image

TOMO AKVINIEČIO SIEKIS ĮVARDYTI AMŽINYBĘ
THOMAS AQUINAS IN PURSUIT OF ADDRESSING ETERNITY

Author(s): Povilas Aleksandravičius
Subject(s): Philosophy
Published by: Vilniaus Universiteto Leidykla
Keywords: amžinybė1; Dievas2; nejudėjimas3; judėjimas4; gyvybė5; laikiškumas6;

Summary/Abstract: The article analyses the notion of eternity and concepts expressing it as used by Thomas Aquinas. It maintains that the traditional interpretation of the concept – developed mainly in the late scholastic period – does not tally with the intention of aquinas. aquinas’ concept of eternity should not be treated as the opposite sys¬temic pole to either the concept of time or movement: the transcendence of eternity vis-à-vis movement can be regarded as ‘moving in a certain sense’, on the basis of proportional analogy principle, though its non-movement in relation to movements known by the human experience is absolute. Thomas Aquinas used a special concept of divine life to express this dialectic between movement and non-movement. The author analyses the concept of divine life in all its manifestations, both ‘in itself’ (quidam circuitus, Trinity) and in its relation to the world (creatio). Following the analyses of movement characteristic of divine eternity, a further thought is invited regarding the question of temporality of eternity. Keywords: eternity, God, non-movement, move¬ment, life, temporality.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 79
  • Page Range: 153-167
  • Page Count: 15
  • Language: Lithuanian