Obediential potency in Francisco Suárez’ De beatitudine

Abstract:

The aim of this article is to introduce Francisco Suárez’s definition of obediential potency in the context of one of his first essays: De beatitudine. When analysing this notion, we are able to understand the link between deity and human agency, and also give account of Suárez’s progressive distancing from Aristotle and Aquinas. His conception of obediential potency manifests the novelty of his philosophical system, where human autonomy and will are highlighted, and, at the same time, it represents the confluence point of his metaphysical, theological and ethical theses.

Key words:

Obediential potency; Freedom; Causality; Beatitude.