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Figure 1 - from "Being and Participation - Chapter One Fabro's Interpretation of the History of Metaphysics"

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arrow_forwardThe balancing of Platonic and Aristotelian principles means that St. Thomas’s metaphysics is neither Platonic to the exclusion of Aristotelian metaphysics, nor Aristotelian to the exclusion to Platonic metaphysics. As Fabro writes: “In this sense Thomism can be called a Platonism, provided it is understood as a Platonism which is structured upon Aristotelian metaphysics. Therefore, it can also be called an Aristotelianism which has assumed, as a foundation, the Platonic participation. More exactly, then, Thomism is “Thomism’, that is, it is the metaphysics of the act in which, as never before, the opposite exigencies of act and of content are brought together and established’”**°. To conclude, the originality of the Thomistic synthesis is found in its ability to assume, correct, retain, integrate and surpass the thought of those who preceded him. The Neo-Platonic tradition is assumed and surpassed “by the elevation of the ens-esse over and above the Good and by the consequent emerging synthesis of essentia-esse and of the formal- exemplary causality of Plato with the formal-efficient causality of Aristotle”**’, The more important points of the combination of Platonic and Aristotelian principles that Fabro holds are at work in the Thomistic synthesis can be visualized as follows:

The balancing of Platonic and Aristotelian principles means that St. Thomas’s metaphysics is neither Platonic to the exclusion of Aristotelian metaphysics, nor Aristotelian to the exclusion to Platonic metaphysics. As Fabro writes: “In this sense Thomism can be called a Platonism, provided it is understood as a Platonism which is structured upon Aristotelian metaphysics. Therefore, it can also be called an Aristotelianism which has assumed, as a foundation, the Platonic participation. More exactly, then, Thomism is “Thomism’, that is, it is the metaphysics of the act in which, as never before, the opposite exigencies of act and of content are brought together and established’”**°. To conclude, the originality of the Thomistic synthesis is found in its ability to assume, correct, retain, integrate and surpass the thought of those who preceded him. The Neo-Platonic tradition is assumed and surpassed “by the elevation of the ens-esse over and above the Good and by the consequent emerging synthesis of essentia-esse and of the formal- exemplary causality of Plato with the formal-efficient causality of Aristotle”**’, The more important points of the combination of Platonic and Aristotelian principles that Fabro holds are at work in the Thomistic synthesis can be visualized as follows:

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The balancing of Platonic and Aristotelian principles means that St. Thomas’s metaphysics is neither Platonic to the exclusion of Aristotelian metaphysics, nor Aristotelian to the exclusion to Platonic metaphysics. As Fabro writes: “In this sense Thomism can be called a Platonism, provided it is understood as a Platonism which is structured upon Aristotelian metaphysics. Therefore, it can also be called an Aristotelianism which has assumed, as a foundation, the Platonic participation. More exactly, then, Thomism is “Thomism’, that is, it is the metaphysics of the act in which, as never before, the opposite exigencies of act and of content are brought together and established’”**°. To conclude, the originality of the Thomistic synthesis is found in its ability to assume, correct, retain, integrate and surpass the thought of those who preceded him. The Neo-Platonic tradition is assumed and surpassed “by the elevation of the ens-esse over and above the Good and by the consequent emerging synthesis of essentia-esse and of the formal- exemplary causality of Plato with the formal-efficient causality of Aristotle”**’, The more important points of the combination of Platonic and Aristotelian principles that Fabro holds are at work in the Thomistic synthesis can be visualized as follows:
In his works, Fabro offers various descriptions and quasi-definitions of participation, recognizing at the same time, that it is an analogical
Jason Mitchell
Jason Mitchell
Being and Participation - Chapter One Fabro's Interpretation of the History of Metaphysics
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