Classical Theism, Philosophy, and Religion Forum / Can someone explain the second Thomistic theses

**Posted by RomanJoe** 7/13/2017 7:59 pm

Potency limits act.

I've read multiple Thomists and I feel like I'm not getting something. I've read that act is limited by potency because every particular thing in act doesn't fully instantiate perfection. So a drawn circle is always a bit crude when compared to the abstracted form of circularity. In this way, the potential to be circular limits the perfection of act for circularity. Also anything that is composed of potency and act is always limited. For instance, a vase is limited to a particular place and condition--be it on the shelf, on the floor, on a table, cracked, smashed, polished. In this sense, its potencies limit it to a specific place and condition.

Am I missing something?

**Posted by DanielCC** 7/14/2017 4:26 am

RomanJoe, could I offer a piece general advice? Stop reading Neo-Scholastic works for a while and study some Analytical philosophers sympathetic to Thomism like E.J. Lowe or David Oderberg. The minuate of the Thomistic theses (a number of which are false anyway) will rarely be a matter of debate anyway and the language in which they are couched is inaccessible to most critics anyway.

**Posted by RomanJoe** 7/14/2017 11:54 am

DanielCC wrote:
RomanJoe, could I offer a piece general advice? Stop reading Neo-Scholastic works for a while and study some Analytical philosophers sympathetic to Thomism like E.J. Lowe or David Oderberg. The minuate of the Thomistic theses (a number of which are false anyway) will rarely be a matter of debate anyway and the language in which they are couched is inaccessible to most critics anyway.

Any good book you would suggest?

**Posted by DanielCC** 7/17/2017 5:34 am

Michael Loux - Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction
E.J. Lowe - Four Category Ontology
David Oderberg - Real Essentialism

**Posted by RomanJoe** 7/17/2017 12:43 pm

DanielCC wrote:
Michael Loux - Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction
E.J. Lowe - Four Category Ontology
David Oderberg - Real Essentialism

Thanks Daniel, I just ordered Real Essentialism.