معرفی
Stephen Brock is a Visiting Professor at the University of Chicago's Department of Philosophy (2017–present), with a prior career as a Professor of Medieval Philosophy at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome since 1990. He holds a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Toronto (1988). His research focuses on Thomas Aquinas’s thought, particularly in ethics, action theory, metaphysics, and theology. He has also taught at the Catholic University of America (1999) and has authored influential works on Aquinas, including Action & Conduct: Thomas Aquinas and the Theory of Action (2022) and The Light that Binds (2020).
His courses at UChicago explore medieval metaphysics, Aquinas’s ethics, Aristotle’s Physics, and the philosophy of love. Notable courses include Medieval Metaphysics: Thomas Aquinas on Potency and Act (2025–26) and Aquinas on Justice (repeated in 2021 and 2025). He emphasizes the integration of Aristotelian and Augustinian thought in Aquinas’s philosophy, particularly regarding the will and natural law.
Brock’s scholarship bridges metaphysical and ethical inquiries, often engaging with Aquinas’s sources (e.g., Aristotle) and later interpreters. His work challenges traditional intellectualist readings of Aquinas by highlighting the role of love and will in moral agency. He has contributed to debates on Aquinas’s theories of causality, being, and evil, maintaining a rigorous engagement with both medieval and modern philosophical frameworks.
Though no awards are explicitly listed, his extensive publication record and visiting professorships indicate recognition in medieval philosophy circles. His teaching philosophy prioritizes close textual analysis, requiring non-majors to secure consent, reflecting his commitment to rigorous academic engagement.
