The Cogitative Power: Objects and Terminology (full text)

My article in the Thomist included a promissory note referring to a forthcoming book.

The good news is that much progress has been made on the book project.   

However, until it is published, my dissertation addresses various topics in sufficient detail to benefit interested readers. 

The book manuscript is now so far removed from the dissertation in terms of documentation, depth of analysis, etc. that it compares to the relevant parts of the dissertation as my two articles compare to chapters 2 and 7. 

 For the expanded and corrected versions of chapters 2 and 7, see the post below from 2012: “Recent work on the Cogitative Power.” As is the case with the two articles, while the book does not alter the fundamental conclusions in the dissertation, it does correct or modify many points of detail.

Even after the book is (God willing) published, the dissertation may be of interest regarding the secondary literature. Since the book is intended for a broader audience, it omits or abbreviates some discussion of and many references to scholarly articles.

The dissertation seeks to pick up where Klubertanz's book left off in 1952 by addressing all the secondary literature since then, and re-examining all the primary texts. Ideally, one would read Klubertanz before reading this dissertation. Sadly, it is out of print.

If you make use of this dissertation, please be so kind as to acknowledge it in relevant footnotes. 

 

I close with the late Fr. Benedict Ashley’s comments: “I have at last finished reading your dissertation, but will continue ponder it. It is really a fine work dealing with a very important subject and I have already learned much from it….Your discussion of the roles of the cogitative, of intentions, and of sortals are extremely helpful…I see I will have to revise my thinking of such points a great deal.” (email, 21 May 2009)

Feel free to recommend the text to Thomists in particular, Medieval philosophers in general, or to anyone interested in philosophical psychology or epistemology.

Abstract:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0CjaoSjGC9iLThQWmt1cWJSY00

Contents:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1EZLy3uKkqVouLg3yvaKIeC7GAReB5fWM

Introduction:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1xdzY78utyBWYYxlImGxV5Ac5jIOXLSjU

Ch. 1:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XFj0_UoPe0iVuerQwJV3fYwl463iW19O

Ch. 2:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0CjaoSjGC9ia0FUak9XNFhQZ3c

 Ch. 3:
 https://drive.google.com/open?id=1P8XrJ47G97REZn0tA28JEtxk_zm2QoHx

Ch. 4:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11LvdRtF1AB4YwprLlsYYy2u1OyRjPxcW

Ch. 5:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=12Ia73kSUnIg7odO5Q5-2JfXIjcD3SBiO

Ch. 6:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Baa3L1rxdl9OakdvXTgMTmZGRldGx8jI

Ch. 7:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B0CjaoSjGC9iXzFNWG5VZ3RwZGM

Ch. 8:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1gdpVY1cmIc5IyONpxAk7TSqRhXMpwRLy

Ch. 9:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1R8dyLBH_TSi5HGfuP_z2Zu716HVqXDYx

Conclusion:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1FZu31yKzJ7MJQ3H3Sc1TT3FZw0nVf1d9

Bibliography:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=16KRqri9xyiJYYu1sIDkYgBVCXiUVuVhx

Angels and devils (non-cogitative-related)

Here is an interview on pure spirits (angels and devils) from a philosophical and theological perspective; given 4/19/12 on Focus Catholic Television (New Orleans). It is based on my course on angelology and demonology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHwqULqDvsc