Quiz for the Day

This interested me, so I did the searches. For you, it can be a quiz.

1. Which treatise by Aristotle is cited most frequently in the corpus of Thomas Aquinas?
2. Rank the following treatises according to frequency with which each is cited by Thomas Aquinas, from most frequently to least so: De Anima, Metaphysics, Nicomachean Ethics, Physics.
3. Of the particular books within the treatises by Aristotle, which is the most frequently cited in the corpus of Thomas Aquinas?
4. Of the books of the Metaphysics, which is the most frequently cited?
5. Of the books of the Physics, which is the most frequently cited?
6. Of the books of the Nicomachean Ethics, which is the most frequently cited?

Answers below.

I was interested in this to see whether I could confirm my sense that, of the treatises of Aristotle, Aquinas draws most frequently upon the Nicomachean Ethics.

I'm happy to send the spreadsheet with complete figures by request, broken down by search terms for each book and treatise. Simply write to me.
















1. Nicomachean Ethics, by a longshot.

2. Nicomachean Ethics, 1689 citations; Physics, 777; De Anima, 756; Metaphysics, 466.

3. De Anima III, 506 citations.

4. Book V, 83 citations; followed by Book X, 68 citations; and Book XII, 38 citations.

5. Book VIII, 166 citations; followed by Book II, 157 citations; and Book III, 98 citations.

6. Book II, 253 citations; followed by Book III, 236 citations; and Book VI, 229 citations.