This work intends to explain the notion and essence of the beautiful based on writings of Thomas Aquinas. The approach is limited to the understanding of integrant parts in Thomas's two definitions of the beautiful and related notions. However, the writings are very fragmented and unsystematized, besides the interpretations of modern scholars are frequently contradictory. The tesis of our investigation is that the two definitions of the beautiful imply each other, and, in a secondary sense, that Thomas sketches a coherent theory of the beautiful. We report the most significant interpretations; next, we inventory Thomas's texts. There are two distinct analysis in those texts. One in an ontological perspective; the other in a psicological perspective implied in the connection between the beautiful and the good. They establish respectively two distinct definitions, namely, the intrinsic descriptive definition and the descriptive definition of the effect. The first denotes the inherent properties of the beautiful, while the second expresses the pleasure in apprehension. We attempt, therefore, to do the genesis of the notion of the beautiful, which is divided in conceptual genesis and empirical genesis. The conceptual genesis consists in a demonstration for the causes, and is restricted to the understanding of intrinsic definition. The empirical genesis consists in a demonstration for the effects, and is restricted to the understanding of definition of the effect. With respect to this last genesis we present only a synopsis. Finally, we synthesize our conclusions and criticize the interpretations reported at the beginning. The main results of our inquiry proves the mutual implication between the two definitions and the internal coherence of Thomas's theory.Our secondary results are that the intrinsic definition contains more elements than those mentioned by modern scholars, and that the cogitative power or faculty is fundamental for the aprehension of the beautiful.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.