Aquinas

An Audio Guide

By: Edward Feser

Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney

One of the most influential philosophers and theologians in the history of Western thought, St. Thomas Aquinas established the foundations for much of modern philosophy of religion, and is famous for his arguments for the existence of God. In this cogent and multifaceted introduction to the great saint's work, Edward Feser argues that one cannot fully understand Aquinas' philosophy without his theology, and vice-versa.

Covering his thoughts on the soul, natural law, metaphysics, and the interaction of faith and reason, this will prove an indispensable resource for students, experts, or the general reader.

©2009 Edward Feser (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing

Critic reviews

“A useful and easy to read introduction. Students and scholars will find [this] highly beneficial.” (Fulvio di Blasi, President of Thomas International)

“Lucid, cogent, and compelling. Required reading for anyone interested in Thomas Aquinas.” (Christopher Kaczor, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Loyola Marymount University)

“At last. A concise, accessible and compelling introduction to Aquinas's thought. Feser shows that Aquinas's philosophy is still a live option for thinkers today.” (Kelly James Clark, Professor of Philosophy, Calvin College)

Loved it ...very insightful..Mr Mulraney reading w

loved it...insightful...Mr. Mulraney reading was superb...I wish I had him as a teacher in school...in St.Thomas or any subject...I must purchase other works with/ Mulraney as narrator...thx very much!

Mind blower

Mr. Feser makes Aquinas understandable to me, the average Joe, but makes me hungry to dive in deeper to St Thomas.

Excellent introduction

Aquinas has always seemed hopelessly dense to me, but Professor Fraser’s introduction placed him within the Aristotelian framework in which he operated. I’ll probably have to revisit the book several times to get everything, but it did more for my understanding of Aquinas than anything I’ve ever read before.

Can’t wait to listen a 2nd time

Superb all around. Was skeptical at first because of the somewhat maybe “robotic” tone of his voice? Anyway, it’s hard-hitting exposition and any doubts I had were allayed after the first 1/4th.

Excellent book marred by faulty pronunciation

Throughout this book, I never ceased to be dazzled by Feser's explication of Aquinas's thought. With lucid prose, he manages to present Aquinas's philosophy in a way that I think can be grasped by general readers, without diminishing the rigor or force of the arguments. The book sticks to Aquinas's philosophy, without covering his theology based on revelation.

After a brief survey of Thomas's life, Feser covers: Aristotelian metaphysics, natural theology (a brilliant presentation of the five ways of proving God's existence), philosophy of mind, and ethics. He shows how all of these positions are as valid now as ever and can be defended without recourse to divine revelation, if we keep in mind the context of Thomas's metaphysics as a whole.

The only drawback to this audiobook is the narration. The pace of reading is fine, and Mulraney's voice is not unpleasant in itself. But he mispronounces so many words: Aristotelian, Averroes, Leibniz, and many others. I found this pretty disturbing, as some of these words recur frequently.

Bottom line: it's a great book and well worth the download, but don't teach yourself pronunciation from this reader. Hopefully we will see more of Feser on Audible. He's really that good.

Great book

Really explains Aquinas 5 ways they way they are supposed to be understood and in a way that can be understood by those of us lacking in our philosophical knowledge

Aquinas certainly deserves more attention!

And Feser presents him with that value right up front. His writing is clear, concise and relatable. I loved this book! In fact, I've listened to it twice now.

helpful summary of aquinas

Edward Feser writes clearly about the main points of Aquinas' thought. I can better appreciate the great writings of Aquinas as I read them.

Love the narrator, great voice

This book is technically dense however don't let that deter you from listening, when absorbed in tiny chunks it becomes approachable. Actually I put this on at bedtime and continually play to it over and over, for a good month now. The male narrator, a Brit has an absolutely wonderful voice, calm and measured, I find it lulls me into a fantastic sleep and I don't mean that as a negative comment. Digest this in pieces, empty your brain and pack more in a little at a time. Quite worth it.

Thomism for Beginners Indeed

I went in only knowing a bit about Aquinas and left with a great overview of his philosophy.
Don’t expect a full biography or too many details about one of history’s greatest minds; rather, the mind itself is under review. His philosophy was and remains groundbreaking. Feser goes into detail on the Five Ways, hylomorphism and other aspects, while also integrating and supplementing his content with modern defenses and later developmemts in Thomism.
Expect a hard listen with proper narration. Highly recommended.