Aquinas (Penguin Philosophy)

Rating:
Summary: Aquinas is an excellent introduction to Thomas's thought.
Review: Father Copleston's book is an excellent introduction to the philosophy of St. Thomas. A man of great intellectual depth, Copleston's lucid style makes Aquinas good reading for both academic study and personal philosophical/spiritual enjoyment.

Rating:
Summary: Very Informative
Review: With no real schooling in our aptitude for philosophy, I couldn't follow Aquinas, although I've always been very interested in his ideas, especially his rational proofs of the existence of God. Fr. Copleston's book was immensely helpful. His writing style is clear and elegant. He avoids technical philosophical jargon whenever possible and illustrates difficult concepts with everyday, real life examples. He also does a thorough job of comparing and contrasting Aquinas and his major influence, Aristotle. On occasion Copleston remarks on how Aquinas differs from Kant and other more contemporary thinkers; I wish there had been a little more of that as well, but I imagine his multi-volume History of Philosophy covers all that in detail. I think this book is a fantastic place to start for anyone interested in Aquinas and Middle Ages philosophy in general.