Abstract

KRAEMER, Celso  and  SANTOS, Dominique. History and philosophy of education in the middle ages: a consideration on the concept of prudence according to Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica. Acta Educ. [online]. 2019, vol.41, e47777.  Epub Oct 01, 2019. ISSN 2178-5201.  https://doi.org/10.4025/actascieduc.v41i1.47777.

ABSTRACT. Thomas Aquinas was one among the scholars who contributed to the debate of the most important questions present in the intellectual environments of the thirteenth century. In this article, we analyze one of his main works, the Summa Theologica, especially question 47 of the part that became known as Secunda Secundae, or simply IIª IIªae, i.e. Second part of the Second Part. Take this section into account, we present a short consideration on the concept of ‘Prudence’, understood as the theory or logic of human action, in the sense of a decision-making process. It is argued that Aquinas concept of ‘Prudence’ can help us not only to improve our comprehension of the History and Philosophy of Education in the Middle Ages, but also our own present-day educational practices.

Keywords : education; medieval; Thomas Aquinas; Summa theologica; prudence.

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