Thomas Aquinas : Famous Educator

Thomas Aquinas: Famous Educator
By: Jake Rose
Foundations of Education

Jake Rose
Foundation of Education
February 21, 2012

Throughout history many people have had an influence or brought new ideas to education. Through these people have come many different philosophies and ideas as to how learning and teaching should take place. One person who has had a major influence on education is Thomas Aquinas. Since I personally went to a catholic school my whole life I chose St. Thomas Aquinas.  
Thomas Aquinas was an Italian Dominican priest that lived from 1225 to 1274 (Galgonovicz 2011).   Thomas Aquinas is not only relevant in education but in many aspects of life. His philosophies range from education to values in life to being a big face and name of the church. Two of his theories on education are The Theory of Knowledge and the Theory of Learning.
In Aquinas’ theory of knowledge he explains what he believes that knowledge really is. He states that knowledge is a particular kind of being, a modification or vital action of knowing subject. That knowledge does not occur simply from the thing, but rather the thing is known and the person knowing cooperate in production of the issue (McInery 2009). He also states that there are two different types of knowledge these being sense knowledge and intellectual knowledge. Sense knowledge is the beginning for all mans natural knowledge. It begins in the senses and is completed in the intellect (Galgonovicz 2011). Thomas explains there is a dual operation for intellectual knowledge. One operation is the understanding of indivisibility, where the intellect grasps the reality of each item in itself; the other operation relates to combining and distinguishing (Galgonovicz 2011). He believed that several sensations grouped together would create and that memories grouped together would create a sense experience (De la Tour).
Aquinas believed that there were various types of sense knowledge: these included sense...