Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain: A Life of Philosophy, Politics, and Faith
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Full Name and Common Aliases
Jacques Maritain was born on November 18, 1882, in Paris, France. He is often referred to as Jacques or Maritain, although his full name reflects the respect he commanded throughout his life.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born: November 18, 1882
Died: April 29, 1973
Nationality and Profession(s)
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French philosopher, politician, and Catholic theologian. Maritain's diverse intellectual pursuits spanned centuries of thought on faith, politics, and human experience.
Early Life and Background
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Maritain was born into a middle-class family in Paris, where his father worked as an art critic. His mother, however, would have a profound impact on his spiritual development. A devout Catholic herself, she instilled in Maritain the importance of faith from a young age. He began attending Catholic schools and developed a strong foundation in theology. During World War I, Maritain served in the French army as an artillery officer and was decorated for bravery.
Major Accomplishments
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Maritain's contributions to philosophy are multifaceted:
Neo-Thomism: A revival of Thomas Aquinas' thought, which emphasized reason and faith working together. He co-founded the journal Cahiers de la Nouvelle Revue Catholique, where he championed this movement.
French Resistance: During World War II, Maritain was an outspoken critic of fascism and Nazism. His participation in the French Resistance earned him a place on the Nazi "death list" and forced him into exile.
International Relations: As a diplomat and scholar, he played a key role in shaping post-war international relations. He served as France's ambassador to Spain (1948-1954) and worked tirelessly for European unity.Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Maritain's most notable works include:
*"The Person and the Common Good": A treatise on Thomistic anthropology, arguing that human beings are created in God's image.
"Integral Humanism": An essay advocating for a balance between individual freedom and collective well-being.
"Education at the Crossroads": A critical examination of modern education systems, highlighting their failure to cultivate moral character.
Impact and Legacy
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Maritain's intellectual and spiritual endeavors left an indelible mark on 20th-century thought. His contributions to Thomistic philosophy, politics, and humanism continue to inspire scholars, politicians, and faith leaders worldwide.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Jacques Maritain is widely quoted for his insightful commentary on:
The Relationship between Faith and Reason: He argued that reason and faith are complementary, not contradictory.
Human Dignity: Maritain championed the inherent value of every human life, regardless of social or economic status.
Maritain's remarkable life serves as a testament to the power of intellectual curiosity, moral conviction, and unwavering commitment to one's values. His quotes and writings continue to inspire readers seeking guidance on how to live a life of purpose and principle.
Quotes by Jacques Maritain
Jacques Maritain's insights on:
Americans seem sometimes to believe that if you are a thinker you must be a frowning bore, because thinking is so damn serious.
I don’t see America as a mainland, but as a sea, a big ocean. Sometimes a storm arises, a formidable current develops, and it seems it will engulf everything. Wait a moment, another current will appear and bring the first one to naught.
The philosopher says that God’s knowledge is the measure of things, and that things are the measure of man’s knowledge.
When one’s function is to teach the loftiest wisdom, it is difficult to resist the temptation to believe that until you have spoken, nothing has been said.
The sole philosophy open to those who doubt the possibility of truth is absolute silence – even mental.
Since science’s competence extends to observable and measurable phenomena, not to the inner being of things, and to the means, not to the ends of human life, it would be nonsense to expect that the progress of science will provide men with a new type of metaphysics, ethics, or religion.
God’s love causes the beauty of what He loves, our love is caused by the beauty of what we love.
If at the present day it has found a warm welcome among certain circles in Europe, it is because all those who hope to derive from humanitarianism a moral code of human kindness for the acceptance of an atheistic society are already implicitly Buddhists.
