Philosophy and Theology

Volume 24, Issue 2, 2012

Daniel A. Dombrowski
Pages 255-273

Coming to Be
On Process-Enriched Thomism

What does it mean for an individual (a one) to come to be? This question has been close to the center of attention throughout the history of metaphysics. St. Thomas Aquinas’s contributions to a defensible response to this question (in terms of esse) are well documented. Not as well known are the responses to this question offered in the past decade by two learned Jesuit Thomists who have also been heavily influenced by the process thought of Alfred North Whitehead: James Felt and Norris Clarke. It is the purpose of this article to examine carefully and criticize their responses to the above question.