Wisdom, Law and Virtue ─ Essays in Thomistic Ethics

Dewan (medieval philosophy and metaphysics, Dominican U. College, Ottawa) places the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas within the contexts of Christian precepts, particularly revelation, and finds philosophy is a deepening appreciation of basic questions rather than a constant replacement of one world view by another. The 27 essays here, written over a period of 30 years, reflect the journey Aquinas took, and Dewan has taken toward God, focusing on universal considerations (including the natural and the supernatural in wisdom and human life, metaphysics and human dignity), the will and its act (including the causes of free choice and moral evil), natural laws (including the thought of Maritain), legal justice (including the common good and the love of persons), and virtues (including the ontology of prayer and communion with the tradition). Especially interesting are Dewan's two essays on methodology. Annotation c2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

LAWRENCE DEWAN, O.P., is Professor of Medieval Philosophy and Metaphysicsat the Dominican University College in Ottawa and a member of the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas. In 2006 he received the Maritain Medal for Scholarly Excellence, conferred by the American Maritain Association.