What the study found
The study argues that Thomas Aquinas’s thought is important in Edith Stein’s and Karol Wojtyła’s philosophies, especially for how they understood truth. It presents this influence as supporting a realist epistemology in Stein and a realist ethics in Wojtyła.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that their analysis shows it is possible to be modern in philosophy without breaking with philosophical tradition. They suggest this matters because the question of truth is central to both thinkers, in the sense described by J. Ratzinger: truth as original rather than archaic.
What the researchers tested
The article examines the role of Aquinas in the philosophy of Edith Stein (1891–1942) and Karol Wojtyła (1920–2005). It focuses on Stein’s response to Husserl’s idealistic phenomenology and her dialogue with Max Scheler’s theory of values, and on Wojtyła’s relation to Aquinas through four themes: ethical acts and ethical experience, perfectionism in ethics, humans as beings rather than only consciousness, and the relationship between truth and goodness.
What worked and what didn't
In Stein’s case, the authors say Aquinas’s influence is reflected especially in her critique of Husserl and her engagement with Scheler. In Wojtyła’s case, they say Aquinas is connected to the four themes listed above, and that these helped form his response to Scheler and to the question of the authenticity of the individual. The abstract presents these links as successful points of comparison, but it does not report quantitative results or competing outcomes.
What to keep in mind
The abstract gives a conceptual philosophical argument rather than an empirical study with measured outcomes. It does not describe objections, limitations, or counterarguments in the available summary.
Key points
- The article argues that Aquinas’s thought is important for understanding truth in Stein and Wojtyła.
- It links Stein’s philosophy to a realist epistemology and Wojtyła’s to a realist ethics.
- Stein’s connection to Aquinas is described through her response to Husserl and dialogue with Scheler.
- Wojtyła’s connection to Aquinas is described through four themes: ethical experience, perfectionism, human beings as beings, and truth-goodness.
- The authors conclude that modern philosophy can remain connected to philosophical tradition.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Aquinas shapes Stein and Wojtyła on truth and ethics
- Authors:
- Miriam Ramos Gómez, Charlie Jorge Fernández
- Institutions:
- Catholic University of Ávila, Universitat de les Illes Balears
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-13
- DOI:
- 10.3390/rel17030357
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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