Off the Shelf 107 – Kevin Vost
Many feel Thomas Aquinas is hard to read. Have you ever considered thinking like him? On the episode I am joined by Dr. Kevin Vost who tells us just how to accomplish this. It may take some time but well worth it. Listen in as we take a look at his recent book How to Think Like Aquinas: The Sure Way to Perfect Your Mental Powers
From the publisher Sophia Institute Press
About St. Thomas Aquinas, Pope John XXII said:
“A man can derive more profit in a year from his books
than from pondering all his life the teaching of others.”And Pope Pius XI added:
“We now say to all who are desirous of the truth:
‘Go to St. Thomas.'”
But when we do go to Thomas when we open his massive Summa Theologica or another of his works we’re quickly overwhelmed, even lost.
If we find him hard to read, how can we even begin to “think like Aquinas?”
Now comes Kevin Vost the best-selling author of The One-Minute Aquinas armed with a recently rediscovered letter St. Thomas himself wrote a brief letter to young novice monk giving practical, sage advice about how to study, how to think, and even how to live.
In this letter written almost 800 years ago, St. Thomas reveals his unique powers of intellect and will, and explains how anyone can fathom and explain even the loftiest truths.
Vost and St. Thomas will teach you how to dissect logical fallacies, heresies, and half-truths that continue to pollute our world with muddy thinking. Best of all, you’ll find a fully-illustrated set of exercises to improve your intellectual powers of memory, understanding, logical reasoning, shrewdness, foresight, circumspection, and practical wisdom.
You’ll also learn:
- The four steps to training your memory
- How to know your mental powers and their limits
- Why critical thinking alone is insufficient for reaching the truth
- Twenty common fallacies and how to spot them
- The key to effectively reading any book
- How to set your intellect free by avoiding worldly entanglements
- How to commit key truths to memory
Pius XI called St. Thomas Aquinas the “model” for those who want to “pursue their studies to the best advantage and with the greatest profit to themselves.” Leo XIII urged us all to “follow the example of St. Thomas.” Over the centuries, dozens of other popes have praised him.
Surely it is time to listen to these good men, time to “go to Thomas” to learn to think like him, and, yes, even to live like him.
Bio
Kevin Vost, Psy. D. (b. 1961) has taught psychology at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, and MacMurray College. He is a Research Review Committee Member for American Mensa, which promotes the scientific study of human intelligence.
Where to find
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Read my complete archives at The Catholic Book Blogger.
1 thought on “Think Like Aquinas? – Off the Shelf 107 with Kevin Vost”
Great review (as always), Pete. My dad was a big Aquinas fan. He was the theologian – almost became a priest (Guess I should be grateful he didn’t or this post would be blank). For a while I wanted to be a more Aquinas-like theologian, but ended up working with teens and traded my intelligence for the insanity of their worlds. I will say, from what I studied in college (Theology Major) I managed to integrate some of Aquinas into my head. This book sounds incredibly interesting. Do you think a poet and a crazy man could benefit from it? I’ll have to look it up!