ABSTRACT
One of the invaluable legacies bequeathed to us by St. Thomas Aquinas is the close connection he perceived between the speculative sciences, such as the science of nature, and the practical sciences, such as medicine and ethics. This chapter explores some aspects of the latter teachings that impact on present-day problems in bioethics or medical ethics, particularly those relating to the origins of, and then the demise of, the human person. Aquinas's teaching is referred to as "delayed hominization," for he did not think that God creates and infuses the human soul at the moment of conception, what is called today "immediate hominization," but only after the genetic materials have developed to the point where they can support a human life. The chapter attempts to convey the general idea behind individuation and cogitation, and thus make clear the relevance of St. Thomas's teachings to present-day problems in bioethics.
