I begin far more frequently than I finish! So, I start writing now about another book. The Philosophy of Jesus is a very compact book by Professor Peter Kreeft. The purpose of the book is (1) to show Christians a view of Jesus as a Philosopher and (2) to show non-Christians a new dimension of philosophy. I begin the analysis of this book by referring to Introduction III. The purpose of the introduction is to frame the content of the book into the Four Great Philosophical Questions.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
There are four great philosophical questions. First we ask what is. We want to know reality. This area of philosophy that asks fundamental questions is called metaphysics. Once we know reality, we ask how we know what we know. This is epistemology. Then we ask about ourselves: who are we who want to know what is real? This is philosophical anthropology. Finally, when confronted with reality, how we know what we know and who we are, we wonder what we should be. This last question is ethics. As Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to each of the four great philosophical questions. Because this is so, the purpose of the book is to look at Jesus as the "philosopher" who is the answer to our greatest questions.
REFLECTION
The Four Great Philosophical Questions can be organized in this way:
|
Division of Philosophy |
Question |
|
Metaphysics |
What is? What is real? What is most real? |
|
Epistemology |
How can we know what is real, especially the most real? |
|
Philosophical Anthropology |
Who are we, who want to know the real? |
|
Ethics |
What should we be, how should we live, to be more real? |
The first question and basis for all other questions is: what is that? We wonder about what things are in themselves. We want to understand the nature of things. This is the area of philosophy that is called metaphysics. Metaphysics is the science of being; or of the absolutely first principles of being. Metaphysics is also called ontology or philosophy of first causes. In other words, what is the essence of things? We must also define "being." Being is whatever in any way is, whether it exists or is possible, whether in the mind, in the imagination, or in a statement. Philosophically, being is the real and corresponds to essence or thing. (MCD) Simple things are hard to define.
At some point, Kreeft observes, we not only want to know what things are but we want to know the difference between one thing and another. We want to know how we know. We want to know how we can be sure we know reality. This is the philosophy of epistemology. This question leads us to ask about the ultimate reality. How can we who are finite know the infinite? How can man know God?
The next question to be asked is a turn inward. We ask about ourselves. Who are we who desire to know and to know how we know? We want to know the knower. These questions are in the area of Philosophical Anthropology. Anthropology is not only the science of what is known about man in the past but also the study of who man is always.
When we ask sufficient questions about ourselves we realize that only men can fail to be its true self. Birds never act in a way contrary to bird-ness. Bears always act in a manner consistent with the nature of bears. Plants never violate their natures. Stones and oceans always act in a manner consistent with what their nature. Only humanity can be inhuman. Only men and women will act in ways contrary to their nature. Because of this we desire to understand the differences between good and evil. We can choose either good or evil. Nothing else in the universe can make the choice between good and evil. We ask how we can be "real" or our true selves, our good selves. What does it mean to be a good person and how can good people become good people.
Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the answer to our greatest needs and to the four great philosophical questions. Through Divine Revelation we learn that Jesus is the eternal logos. What is logos? "Logos means the Word of God, the Revelation of God, the Speech of God, the Wisdom of God the Mind of God, the Truth of God, the Reason of God, the Philosophy of God." Kreeft asserts that "Jesus is God's philosophy."
KEY QUOTES
"There are four perennial philosophical questions, "Philosophy" means "the love of wisdom," and wisdom, if we had it, would give us answers to at least these four great questions: (1) What is? What is real? Especially, what is most real? (2) How can we know what is real, and especially the most real? (3) Who are we, who want to know the real? "Know thyself." (4) What should we be, how should we live, to be more real?" (POJ, 6)
"The logical order of questions is this: we must first know something real before we can know how we know it; and we must first know who we are before we can know what is good for us." (POJ, 8)
"The Christian answer: because the only adequate and final answer to all four great philosophical questions is Christ." (POJ, 9)
St. Francis De Sales, pray for us!
VVV
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