The body is first in the order of conditioning – our work, personality, nature, community, moral life, imagination are all aspects of our body’s conditioning. In addition, we are the products of atavism, the inherited characteristics from our p

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 9: The Body by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Dec 6th, 2017

Pere Marie-Dominique Philippe described the body as ‘The substantial conditioning of the human person’. We have no experience outside of our bodies, so in one sense we only exist – we are only able to say ‘I am’ – in union with our bodies. But

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 8: Discovering Autonomy by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Nov 29th, 2017

Beginning with the judgement of existence ‘this is’, and discovering the reality of existence outside ourselves, enables us to affirm the metaphysical, objective, reality of ‘I am’. ‘I am’ becomes therefore more than I am conscious of myself be

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 7: Discovering Finality by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Nov 22nd, 2017

Beyond all determinations, which describe our form, there is a more profound level of being which is described by ‘act’. As human beings we have the capacity to choose, and this implies a capacity to choose an ‘end’, in other words to choose ou

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 6: The Proper Principles of Being by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Nov 16th, 2017

What is ‘that-which-is in so far as it is’? This question is concerned with the judgement of existence. It leads further to such questions as: Can the matter which exists be described solely by its form? Or solely by its actions? Or both? Or is

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 5: The Metaphysical search for truth by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Nov 9th, 2017

‘First Philosophy’ was the term used by Aristotle to embrace the study or search for what is absolutely first, or ultimate. In more recent centuries the term ‘Metaphysics’ has tended to replace the term ‘First Philosophy’, but it is concerned w

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 4: The Contribution from Aristotle by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Nov 3rd, 2017

Aristotle’s contribution to our notion of the human person was and still is, fundamental. He considered the relationship between nature and the person, and concluded that the person is not simply a natural being, similar to plants and animals,

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 3: The Contribution from Psychology by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Oct 23rd, 2017

“Psychology is generally understood as one of the most important forces in contemporary society, as such it is useful to trace its modern history in order to truly grasp modern psychology’s current directions. During the first half of the 20th

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 2: The Discovery of the Human Person by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Oct 18th, 2017

Fr Marie-Dominique Philippe, the founder of the Community of St John, wrote the following lines in the first chapter of his book entitled ‘Retracing Reality’: “The search for wisdom has become particularly difficult in our time. The cultural mi

The Human Person: A Metaphysical Gaze 1: Introduction by Fr Thomas Dunton CSJ

Oct 12th, 2017

We are pleased to be able to publish this series of talks given by Fr Thomas Dunton of the Community of St John to novices of the Community based at their priory in Princeville, Ohio, USA, on the subject of the Human Person. In this first tal

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