Thomas Aquinas: Famous Educator
By: Jake Rose
Foundations of Education
Jake Rose
Foundation of Education
February 21, 2012
Throughout history many people have had an influence or brought new ideas to education. Through these people have come many different philosophies and ideas as to how learning and teaching should take place. One person who has had a major influence on education is Thomas Aquinas. Since I personally went to a catholic school my whole life I chose St. Thomas Aquinas.
Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican priest that lived from 1225 to 1274 (Galgonovicz 2011).
Thomas Aquinas is not only relevant in education but in many aspects of life. His philosophies range from education to values in life to being a big face and name of the church. Two of his theories on education are The Theory of Knowledge and the Theory of Learning.
In Aquinas’ theory of knowledge he explains what he believes that knowledge really is. He states that knowledge is a particular kind of being, a modification or vital action of knowing subject. That knowledge does not occur simply from the thing, but rather the thing is known and the person knowing cooperate in production of the issue (McInery 2009).
He also states that there are two different types of knowledge these being sense knowledge and intellectual knowledge. Sense knowledge is the beginning for all mans natural knowledge. It begins in the senses and is completed in the intellect (Galgonovicz 2011).
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Thomas explains there is a dual operation for intellectual knowledge. One operation is the understanding of indivisibility, where the intellect grasps the reality of each item in itself; the other operation relates to combining and distinguishing (Galgonovicz 2011).
He believed that several sensations grouped together would create and that memories grouped together would create a sense experience (De la Tour).
Aquinas believed that there were various types of sense knowledge: these included sense memory, sense-consciousness, instinct, and imagination (McInery 2009) sense memory allows the individual to reproduce in one’s memory an image they had seen. Sense-consciousness gives an awareness of an object through various sense perceptions. Instinct relates to a particular concrete connection such as an individual fleeing from fire. Imagination takes materials supplied through sense memory and translates them into a particular image composed of characters derived from other images (McInery 2009).
Intellectual knowledge is abstract and general. This knowledge is quite different from the concrete and particular of external and internal senses. This was due to the fact that abstract knowledge was attributed to intelligence or reason (De la Tour).
He believed that knowledge starts in sense and is completed in the intellect.
Along with his theory of knowledge Aquinas also had a theory of learning. He explained that learning takes place when one person teaches another, and the teacher conveys knowledge to the pupil’s mind by causing him to know what he previously had the capacity to know before (De la Tour).
Thomas states that learning is to get specific knowledge from another. Aquinas believes that knowledge must result from the activity of the pupil’s own mind (Galgonovicz 2011).
Along with acquiring knowledge with the aid of the teacher, he can also acquire knowledge by applying his mind by which he knows the first principles of all knowledge. The teacher often points out issues which the pupil had not thought of and shows the relationship between concepts which the pupil would not have noticed without the teacher pointing them out (Galgonovicz 2011).
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Thomas Aquinas also has a theory on teaching which he calls the Theory of Transmission. He states that three characters a teacher should have are clearness, stability and purity of intention (De la Tour).
A teacher must have stability so they will never stray away from the truth. A teacher must have clearness so he or she will teach without obscurity. Lastly a teacher must have purity of intention so they do not seek glory for themselves (McInery 2009).He explains that a teacher should not overwhelm students with useless questions because this makes knowledge unclear (McInery 2009).
He also talks about repetition and how overusing it can cause confusion in your students (McInery 2009).
Thomas Aquinas believes that knowledge and skills worthwhile learning include the study of logic, which teaches the methods of the sciences, mathematics, natural philosophy, moral philosophy, and divine science should be the curriculum taught by teachers (Galgonovicz 2011).
Throughout history many people have come along and given different theories on education. One man who developed many important theories on education is Thomas Aquinas. Three of his most important theories are the Theory of Knowledge, the Theory of Learning, and the Theory of Transmission. In these theories he talks about what is knowledge, what is learning and how it should be taught. Thomas Aquinas is one of the most influential people of all time in the field of education. His thoughts and ideas are still relevant today. At the foundation of education and learning; are educators. Thomas Aquinas is just one great example of how this is true.
