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Rating: 
Summary: Thomistic Metaphysics in a modern day context
Review: An excellent book! This book is timely because it puts Thomistic metaphysics in a modern day context. It helps you gain a better understanding of a 13th century system of metaphysics by teaching you what it is, and how other modern day systems of metaphysics compare to it. The end of every chapter has a series of questions to help you reflect on concepts learned in the previous pages. Some training or exposure to philosophy is presupposed because the book is written as an "advanced textbook of systematic metaphysics in the Thomistic tradition." As with any other philosophical work, reading slowly and making notes in the margins will help you grasp the concepts before moving on to others. For those who are curious about Thomistic metaphysics, or if the Thomistic philosophical tradition appeals to you, then this book should be required reading. A truly remarkable book!
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Summary: Modernist transformation of Aquinas
Review: In this work of CLarke, he presupposes the conclusions of contemporary theological modernism inside the Catholic Church. First, he reduces the clearly Aristotelian premises of Aquinas to Platonism. Second he repudiates the use of any of the traditional commentators of Aquinas in understanding St. Thomas' thought. These would be John of St. Thomas, John Capreolus, etc. He attempts to syntezize the contradictions of modern thought i.e. the existentialism of Heiddeger with Thomism. Yet modern existentialism rejects the essence of things and therefore denies that any THING exists which is absurd. He also refuses to use Aristotle as a source in understanding Aquinas even though, Aquinas commented on twelve works of Aristotelian corpus and despite the fact the Aquinas calls no one but Aristotle the Philisopher. His presupposing terms and epistemology reflect a modern Kantian and therefore platonist thought instead of the precise synthesis of order as expressed in Aquinas. The book is supposed to Thomist yet unfortunately, it is similar to the very straw man set rejected by Kant, a Wolffian metaphysics where concepts are univocal and philosophy is immanentist rationalist instead of concepts being analogical and philosophy is extrinsic objectivist. Unfortunately the "Thomism" of Clarke is in the tradition of Maritain, Gilson, and the transcendal thomists instead of in the tradition of John of St. Thomas, John of Capreolus, and in contemporary times that of the strictly historical Thomist, as in John Wippel. As Wolff's philosophy failed in reaching academics ultimately, unfortunately so will Clarke's precisely because he presupposes what modernist academia already has. They certainly don't need to here or buy books in that which they already believe in, the Platonist-Cartesian-Kantian immanentist rationalism of modern "philosophy".
Rating:
Summary: A Metaphysical Page-Turner.
Review: The history of metaphysical speculation is replete with contrast and contradiction; e.g. all is change, change is illusion, or all is one, each is all. As a result of which, many have sought new starting points and invented new lanquages (Heidegger must leap to mind) in the hope of providing improved perspectives. In "The One and the Many", Norris Clarke accepts the challenge of Western thought. He does not attempt to start anew, invent a new language or rise above the past. Rather, he builds on the core ideas that Western speculation has provided seeking the limits and assimilating the truths of each. Patiently and clearly by assimilation and contrast, Norris Clarke provides a 21st century "Thomistic existentialist" integration while calmly addressing the challenges of modernity to its ancient and medieval roots. Half-way through Norris Clarke's The One and the Many, I decided to review some of Heidegger's Being and Time. Fresh from Father Clarke, Heidegger seemed intelligible. For this ametuer philosopher that was startling and a testimony to the clear think Father Clarke imparts to his readers. This book is a joy to read. Enjoy him for both method and content and revel in a philosophy text that is an easy page-turner (this doesn't happen too often!). Peace
Rating:
Summary: A Metaphysical Page-Turner.
Review: The history of metaphysical speculation is replete with contrast and contradiction; e.g. all is change, change is illusion, or all is one, each is all. As a result of which, many have sought new starting points and invented new lanquages (Heidegger must leap to mind) in the hope of providing improved perspectives. In "The One and the Many", Norris Clarke accepts the challenge of Western thought. He does not attempt to start anew, invent a new language or rise above the past. Rather, he builds on the core ideas that Western speculation has provided seeking the limits and assimilating the truths of each. Patiently and clearly by assimilation and contrast, Norris Clarke provides a 21st century "Thomistic existentialist" integration while calmly addressing the challenges of modernity to its ancient and medieval roots. Half-way through Norris Clarke's The One and the Many, I decided to review some of Heidegger's Being and Time. Fresh from Father Clarke, Heidegger seemed intelligible. For this ametuer philosopher that was startling and a testimony to the clear think Father Clarke imparts to his readers. This book is a joy to read. Enjoy him for both method and content and revel in a philosophy text that is an easy page-turner (this doesn't happen too often!). Peace
Rating:
Summary: A Masterwork
Review: The previous reviewer's nonsense can be safely ignored. The Magisterium has no official teaching on evolution and it never will because evolution is not a matter of dogmatic or moral theology. As for the value of this book: Fr. W. Norris Clarke is one of the greatest living Neo-Thomists. Herein he gives us a complete Thomist metaphysics. It may well be the crown of his philosophical work. I suggest that anyone with an interest in Thomism pay it heed.
Rating:
Summary: Best introduction of Thomism
Review: This is the best inroductory text on Thomas's thought I have seen. Fr Clarke does a fine job of relaying difficult metaphysical concepts in an easy to understand manner without compromising their meaning. In this book, Thomistic thought is effectively applied to modern philosophical and scientific issues. Ch 8 on the nature of identity through time via substance is especially good, as is Clarke's explanation on the distinction between the act of existence and a thing's essence. This is the text I recommend for both beginners in Thomas' thought as well as more advanced thinkers anxious to gain an insight in applying Thomism to modern issues.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Thomistic Metaphysics Text
Review: W. Norris Clark has provided his reader with a very nice Thomistic metaphysics text. The text covers many of the more important areas of metaphysics such as the one and many issue, the meaning of being, act and potency, substance and accidents, causation (efficient and final), form and matter, and certain problems in metaphysics. What the reader has here in this one text is a 'one stop' place where a thorough examination of some of the major metaphysical themes can be researched. What is more, many of these issues have been either ignored or simply disregarded in light of current analytic philosophical trends, much to the demise of modern philosophy. However, if you are wanting a good text on the classic and all important issues of metaphyics (since doing philosophy is impossible w/o doing metaphysics), then you will want to get a copy of this text. Also, for an excellent companion to this volume see Clarke's work "Explorations in Metaphysics." Another great text for those interested in studying metaphysics.
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