Chapter 2
The Anthropology of St. Bonaventure Before moving to the main argument of this thesis which is the ethical dimension of St. Bonaventure’s Itinerarium Mentis in Deum, the researcher first of all wants to dwell on the anthropology of the philosopher. What is man? This question is essential for it speaks of the true nature of man and this question points basically to its true source? In order to have a better grasp of the groundings of his argument one must first have a good grasp of what is his concept of man? This chapter is based on some of his works like Itinerarium, Writings on the Spiritual Life, and other sources that say something about man? After doing so, the researcher proceeds to the discussion proper of his work Itinerarium…show more content… Victor, and Bonaventure. One of the most famous or common to these philosophers is their anthropology. Bonaventure rooted in St. Augustine and scholastic idea also believed in man as an Imago Dei. In the Holy Scriptures, it is clearly stated that man is created in the image and likeness of God. But what makes man truly an imago Dei? In Bonaventure’s Itinerarium, there are two ways which we can see God, it is through vestiges and images or likeness. In the first sense of looking at God or the creator using the vestiges is looking “through a mirror”. For vestiges means recognizing an external material object as perceived or some concepts and principles as a signs, trace, or shadows that indicates the existence of a transcendent God. While on the other way of looking God is through recognizing God in certain creatures as an image (imago) and likeness (similitudo) or to simply put it as looking “in a mirror”. Creatures as image can only refer to man, for looking in a mirror is looking at man’s rational spirit which makes it an image and likeness of God which other creatures do not…show more content… Bonaventure contends that the power of choice can be understood in terms of deliberation, judgment, and desire. Deliberation consists of one’s inquiry on whether a thing is better than that thing. And so, in order to arrive at that better one must first know it closeness to the best. For example, how could someone say that X is better than Y unless it knows first Y. By giving those premises we can say that there impressed in minds the concept of the highest good. Moreover, following the arguments of the Seraphic Doctor, things or matters which are the object of deliberation comes from the law, and from there forms judgments. One must realize that law being the basis of our judgements proposes that it lies above our minds. But nothing which is superior to a human mind except the One who has created it. Henceforth, the deliberative power is in contact with the divine laws when it arrives at a full and complete analysis. “Finally, desire tends above all to that which moves it the most. And that which moves it the most is that which is loved the most. And that which is loved the most is to be happy.” This only speaks of man’s desire to the optimum good and this what really give true happiness. With that like St. Bonaventure, one can see the closeness of the soul to its Creator by looking at its tripartite powers of the