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AboutaContemporaryThomisticMetaphysics
P.Mazanka:ProfessorClark,Iwonderifyoucouldstartbytelling
whichprofessorsorbookshaveinfluencedyouthemostinyourphilo-
sophystudies?
Fr.Clarke:IwenttostudyattheIslandofJersey,(closetoNew
York)withtheFrenchJesuits.Wehadawonderfulgroupofprofes-
sors,backin1936-39justbeforetheWar,andtherewasawonderful
dynamic,fairlyyoungprofessorofmetaphysicswhowasaThomist,
andheintroducedmetothereallydynamiccontemporaryThomism.
ThenIreadacoupleofthegreatbooksthatsortofmademeasaphi-
losopher.OnewasJosephMarechal,theBelgianJesuit,whowrote
“Plandedepartdelametaphysique”(“ThePointofDepartureofMe-
taphysics”)inFrenchinfivevolumes.Hewentallthroughthehistory
ofphilosophy,alwayslookingateachphilosopherfromthecentral
pointofviewofSt.Thomas,whathewasmissing.Isatdownandread
allthefivevolumespublishedthen,andmadenotesonthem.Thatwas
atremendousexperienceofself-education,gettingacentralpointofview
andthewholehistoryofphilosophy,andSt.Thomasathemostsynthetic
andpowerfulmetaphysicalthinkertobeabletoputthattogether.
Theothergreatbook,whichwasacontrabandbookatthetime,
wasMauriceBlondel’s“L’Action”,1893version.Itwasapowerful
dynamicone,takingwhatMarechaldidwiththedynamismofthehuman
intelligence,Blondeldidwiththedynamismofthewill.Marechal’s
book,hewasthefounderoftranscendentalThomism,thatis,Thomism
thatbuildsonthedynamismofthespirit,theaprioricondition,some-
whatlikeKantbutmorerealistic.Marachal’sbookwasbuiltonthe
dynamismofintelligencetowardsbeing,andBlondel’sbookwasbuilt
onthedynamismofthewilltowardsgood.Thosetwodifferentpoints
ofviewweregiventhesameviewofthehumanspirit.Thenthemeta-
physicsworkedoutallthedetails.
P.Mazanka:BeforecomingtoFordhamUniversityin1955,you
weresenttoLouvain?
Prof.Clarke:Yes,IwenttoLouvaintodomyPh.D.in1947-49.
WediscussedtherethebooksofLouisGeiger,onparticipationin
