Studia Poinsotiana
Published February 18, 2025 | Version v1
Journal article Open

The Doctrine of Signs in John Poinsot: The Context, Content, and Perennial Importance of Joannes a Sancto Thoma's 'Doctrina Signorum'

Authors/Creators

  • 1. Lyceum Institute

Contributors

Rights holder:

  • 1. ROR icon Instituto de Estudos Filosóficos
  • 2. Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Coimbra
  • 3. ROR icon Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas
  • 4. St. Patrick's Pontifical University
  • 5. Congregation of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ
  • 6. Vincentian College
  • 7. ROR icon University of Coimbra
  • 8. Roman Catholic Church
  • 9. Ministry of Education, Science, and Innovation of the Government of the Portuguese Republic
  • 10. Government of the Portuguese Republic
  • 11. Lyceum Institute

Description

This text should have been written by John Deely (1942–2017). But we all pass from this coil with our life’s work left unfinished—leaving thereby to others the choice of whether or not that work is continued. During our last conversation, knowing that his time in this life was limited, John expressed to me a wonder and a trepidation whether the human soul really is immortal. I repeated to him, in paraphrase, words he had once said in class: “It is an experiment we all make, but only once.” He chuckled and said that’s true.

Reflecting at the distance of nearly seven years and having since oft-read C.S. Peirce’s brief essay, “Immortality in the Light of Synechism”, it occurs to me that the immortality of the individual soul is the wrong question, if we understand it strictly as materially individuated: for we are all of us sustained more by relationality than substantiality, by our common and shared intentionality, and though we may not know with certitude his final resting place, we do here—I hope—sustain something of the soul that belonged to John Deely.

I hope this doesn’t “go off the rails”.

All the contents are fully attributable to the author, Doctor Brian Kemple. Should you wish to get this text republished, get in touch with the author or the editorial committee of the Studia Poinsotiana. Insofar as possible, we will be happy to broker your contact.

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References

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