The Philosophical Doctrines of St. Augustine compared with the Ideology of the Modern Schools [pp. 481-496]

482 The Philosophical Doctrines of St. Augustine.
do not apply the term to any recog- of the church, the scholastic metanized school of Catholic philosophy, physicians, and their successors. As
or to the system of any respectable there is no real progress in theologiauthor whose works are in good re- cal science except in the continuity
pute in the church, and we believe of scholastic theology, so there is
that there is no one among them who none in metaphysical science except
would not repudiate the epithet if ap. in the continuity of scholastic philoplied to his doctrine by an opponent. sophy. As, in theology, all sound
In the sense in which we have defin- Catholic authors work together hared it, it is the heresy of nominalism monio~ly in defending and propugcarried to its utmost logical conse- nating those essential doctrines which
quences-that is, to complete subjec- are clearly defined and universally adticism or scepticism in the order of mitted, at the same time discussing
pure reason. Opposed to it is the among themselves in a friendly manrealism sustained in theology by ner those opinions which are as yet
every orthodox writer, and in philo- only probable, so it should be in phisophy by every one whose philosophy losophy. The most important thing
is not in direct contradiction to his is to maintain that philosophical truth
theology. This realism is the affir- in which all sound Catholic authors
mation of the objective entity, dis- are agreed against the sceptical printinct from and superior to the think- ciples of modern sophists. Advance
ing subject of that which reason im- in the science of this truth; with that
mediately apprehends as intelligible, increase of clearness in conception
necessary, self-evident, universal idea, and statement, and of unanimity in
together with the objective entity of opinion, which is its natural conse~hat which is perceived as existing quence; can only be gained by exunder sensible phenomena. It is the haustive study and aigumentation of
~enial or doubt of this objective reali- obscure and disputed questions, car`ty which nullifies the effect of all rea- ried on in a truly catholic, impartial,
soning from principles or from evi- and conciliatory spirit.
dence in proof of Catholic dogmas. The author of the article before us
We meet with a scepticism in regard was one who labored most zealously
to the real existence of God, of truth, in this direction. He was a learned
~f the external world, of the soul it- Barnabite monk, occupying a high
sdf, which renders logic vain. It is position among the erudite scholars
only a return to first principles and to of the Roman court and schools.
a belief in reason, therefore, which He held the position of consult or to
can give us a basis on which to rein- one of the Roman congregations, and
tegrate the rights of faith against the was a member of the commission on
modern irrationalists and misologists oriental affairs, preparatory to the
-that is, haters of reason. The resto- Council of the Vatican, at the time
ration and improvement of philoso- of his decease. The present essay
phy is an object of primary impor- was read before the Academy of the
tance to the religious, moral, and po- Catholic Religion at Rome, on`the
litical welfare of the world. It is in 27th of August, 1863, and published
vain to think of looking for this im- by the Propaganda press. We have
provement elsewhere than in the in- taken i't from an edition of F. Vercelvestigation and development of the lone's Bi~sertazioni Accademiche di Vaphilosophical doctrine of Plato, Aris- rio Ar6oornento, published at Rome in
totle, the great fathers and doctors i864, and dedicated to Cardinal De