Monday, 1 December 2008

Programme for colloquium

We should have a list of concrete discussion topics. The other option is to treat this as a reading break - we choose a list of articles and read through them together.

Here are my suggestions - they are only ideas, and I can't put them more precisely.

  • in what way is an angel composite?
  • what is a substance?
  • the difference between esse and quod est, and how composition of esse and quod est differs from that of form and matter (there is a chapter on this in the SG).
  • why angels have to be of different species (why matter is the principle of individuation)
  • something about the knowledge of the angels - personally I would choose "how the angels know singulars" :-)
I think we can count on one meeting on the first day, three on the second and one on the last - what do you chaps think?

3 comments:

Triduana said...

One reply so far, by email:

" I quite like the idea of us reading through questions and discussing them as we go along; that prevents the danger of preparing something and finding it's at too high or low a level.
We could also look at De Substantiis Separatis (I've not done so before), which I think modern opinion tends to recognise as authentic.
But if you want to assign particular questions/articles from the Summa or elsewhere for someone to present for discussion, I'd be happy to take one: I don't really mind which."

Triduana said...

I was thinking less of each taking one question and presenting a paper on it than of everyone considering all the questions and bringing an answer to each one with him.

Anonymous said...

For the Newcastle meeting I think we should have some reading passages (from the Summa ect...) assigned in advance. We can then make our own notes and perhaps submit questions for discussion beforehand. Also, I suggest that we do read the relevant passes at the meeting (or at least some of them) if only to refresh the memory. I think we should also avoid being overly technical (and look at ways in which we can successfully teach/promote the doctrine of the angels and show their importance to theology as a whole (and indeed their role in our spiritual lives).