Books : Thomas Aquinas in 90 Minutes (Philosophers in 90 Minutes)
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by: Paul Strathern
Amazon.com's Price: $9.95 Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 189.4
EAN: 9781566631945
ISBN: 1566631947
Label: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
Manufacturer: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 93
Publication Date: May 25, 1998
Publisher: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
Sales Rank: 379665
Studio: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
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Editorial Review:
Product Description:
In Thomas Aquinas in 90 Minutes, Paul Strathern offers a concise, expert account of Aquinas's life and ideas, and explains their influence on man's struggle to understand his existence in the world. The book also includes selections from Aquinas's writings; a brief list of suggested reading for those who wish to push further; and chronologies that place Aquinas within his own age and in the broader scheme of philosophy.
Amazon.com Review:
In yet another of his popular books explaining the ideas of the great philosophers in accessible language, Paul Strathern takes on 'a shadowy figure amongst the incense clouds of theology,' who also happens to be 'the finest philosophical mind in Europe for a thousand years (since St. Augustine),' St. Thomas Aquinas. Strathern applies his trademark humor to the Summa Theologica ('Christianity's answer to the Talmud') and the Summa Contra Gentiles, whose 'imaginary reader is generally reckoned to be an intellectual Arab. After being subjected to hundreds of pages demonstrating the incontrovertible truth of the Christian religion, it is assumed that he has no alternative but to forswear Islam and embrace Christianity. How many intellectual Arabs subjected themselves to this grueling experience and reached the same conclusion is unknown.' Underneath the gags, however, you'll gain a reasonable summation of Aquinas's impact on the scholasticism of his era and the validity of his continued, if somewhat diminished, relevance to present-day philosophy.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - 90 Minutes of Classic philosophers
In Feb., on Maui, my wife found this book in our condo laundry room. and, I read it. I liked it so much, I have not only acquired it, but, most of the 90 Minute series. I keep reading and adding.
Rating:  - Anti-Catholic snobbery
Assuming good faith, I'm not quite sure why this book was written. There's very little discussion about and explanation of Thomas' philosophy. Filling his book with put-downs from page one, dripping with sarcasm, the author comes across as a stellar example of late 20th century intellectual snobbery. If you're looking for a concise beginner's introduction to Aquinas' influential thought, this is not it. The only practical use I can think of for this book would be as fodder for a study of published ... Read More
Rating: - Thomas Aquinas in 90 Slanders
Strathern says Thomas Aquinas was a towering figure of Medieval philosophy. I had to read another book (Aquinas for Armchair Theologians) to find out why.
Strathern is less interested in revealing Aquinas' philosophy than in reviling his theology. Strathern outlines Aquinas' life, discusses Aquinas' philosophical errors, and ridicules Aquinas' theology. Along the way, he succeeds in ignoring almost every important contribution Aquinas made to the history of Western thought. E.g., Aquinas' ... Read More
Rating: - Condescending and sarcastic
I am so glad I was able to obtain this book on loan because I can think of much better ways to spend my money. I was so hopeful when I started this reading that I would get a general idea of the philosophies of Aquinas. Obviously I did not expect to get to know him intimatly. What I got was a sarcastic and condescending review of a man who has greatly impacted the catholic church (the author claims that without Aquinas, the church may not have survived) and thus western civilization. I wish I had read the ... Read More
Rating: - A Very Basic Introduction to Thomas Aquinas
The title of this 2 CD set is Thomas Aquinas in 90 minutes, and that is exactly what this is: a very basic introduction. If you have a Doctorate in Midevil Philosophy, I doubt you will be impressed. However, if you know a little about Aquinas, and would like an overview of his life and work, this CD set fits the bill. I gave this 4 stars, in part, because this volume is the only game in town. The audiotape market is not exactly bursting with Thomas Aquinas introductions. It is lonely at the top. And ... Read More
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