Teaching and its Purpose according to Thomas Aquinas: An Analysis Based on the Example of Christ's Pedagogy and on his Own Experience as a Teacher
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15691/0718-5448Vol7Iss2a459Keywords:
Teaching, Truth, Disciple, Teacher, PedagogyAbstract
In the Summa Theologica (II-II, q. 181, a. 3) and in De Veritate, q. 11, a. 4, Thomas Aquinas clarifies the proper nature of teaching, elucidating whether it belongs to the contemplative life or to the active life. Within this, the author points out that the act of teaching has two objects: the thing itself that is taught and, on the other hand, the one to whom the knowledge is communicated. According to the first object, teaching is proper to both the contemplative life and the active life. And, according to the second, it is only proper to the active life. Now, the purpose of teaching does not consist in the sole contemplation of a truth, since it tends to be useful for one's neighbor and, in this sense, teaching fulfills its end when the truth is communicated and received by the listener. In this way, Thomas Aquinas affirms that teaching belongs primarily to the active life. Therefore, in order to analyze its nature and purpose, it is not possible to do so only from the theory of knowledge that supports it; it is also necessary to delve into the act of teaching, which is experienced exemplarily in the pedagogy of Christ and in his own experience as a teacher.
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