Self-presence of the soul and cognitive openness in Saint Thomas Aquinas in the light of the “Thomistic School of Barcelona”

Abstract

In the present work we will present the centrality of the self-presentiality of one’s own being in the philosophy of St. Thomas according to the interpretation of the “Thomistic School of Barcelona”. The representatives of this school, such as Francisco Canals and Jaume Bofill, have wanted to highlight the importance of the Augustinian philosophy of interiority for the synthesis of St. Thomas. The present work aims to make known the valuable contribution of this philosophical school and to contribute to the deepening of this line of research. The work is divided into five parts: after a brief introduction, the knowledge that the soul has of itself through its essence is presented in contrast with the knowledge it has according to its act. In the third part, this self-presence is related to the degrees of intelligibility of the entity, and finally, this self-presence is linked to the cognitive openness of man. The conclusions highlight the elements contributed by this philosophical school.