Dominic Soto

Drawn from the authors' own words; every quotation links to its place.

Dominican · 1494–1560

In Prümmer's Catalogue and Haringer's Index

“Soto, Dominicus de, O.P., Spanish (1494-1560), a man of great soul, theologian at the Council of Trent, wrote besides many other things Relatio de ratione tegendi et detegendi secretum, Salamanca 1552 and often afterward; De iustitia et iure, 10 books, there 1556 and often afterward.” — Prümmer, Catalogue of authors
[**: weighty, probabilist] “Sotus Dominicus, Spanish, of the Order of St. Dominic, taught theology for 30 years in the University of Salamanca and was present at the Council of Trent (On the Fourth Book of the Sentences. On Justice and Law), born 1494, died 1560.” — Haringer's index of writers (Gury-Ballerini) (p. XXIX, sign read on the page)

His Moral System, as Our Authors Report It

Every report quoted in the author's own words and linked to its place; point at a name to see his words. Haringer's signs give St. Alphonsus's judgment as Haringer found it in St. Alphonsus's works (his notice, Gury-Ballerini, 1884, p. XI); a sign on a writer the 1884 editor added to the list is the editor's own, and is said to be his.

He wrote before the moral systems were formed (Medina first set out probabilism in 1577), so what is reported here is how each author reads the principles he followed, not a system he held. Our authors read him differently.

Before the systems: cited for probabilism
“Article III. The System of Probabilism is Vindicated … And again: "When there are probable opinions among grave doctors, whichever you follow, you have your conscience in safety."”Sabetti-Barrett cite him among the authorities for the substance of probabilism	Sabetti-Barrett, Compendium, n. 61
“Dominic Soto (+ 1560), a serious probabilist author”Tanquerey calls him a probabilist (at n. 393 Medina, as Tanquerey quotes him, reports the contrary)	Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 45
“Sotus Dominicus, Spanish, of the Order of St. Dominic, taught theology for 30 years in the University of Salamanca and was present at the Council of Trent (On the Fourth Book of the Sentences. On Justice and Law), born 1494, died 1560.”Haringer marks him **, giving St. Alphonsus's judgment of him (weighty and probabilist)	Haringer's index, Index of writers, p. XXIX
Before the systems: cited for the more probable opinion
“it is not licit to follow a probable opinion, the more probable one having been set aside. Sylvester thinks the same”Prümmer, quoting Medina: in moral matters he would not allow the probable to be followed with the more probable set aside (the probabiliorist position)	Prümmer, Manuale I, n. 337
“The Dominican school of Salamanca, with the masters Fr. de Victoria, Melchior Cano, and Dominic Soto as leaders, also stood generally, and with certain cases of the safer part excepted, for the more probable opinion”Merkelbach: with the Dominican school of Salamanca he stood generally for the more probable opinion (the safer part excepted in certain cases), so as to approach equiprobabilism	Merkelbach, Summa II, excursus on the moral systems

Where Our Authors Discuss Him

Each read in its full passage; the words quoted are the author's own. Where several authors say the same thing, one is quoted and the others follow “in nearly the same words”; point at a name to see his words.

“Thus L. Molina, On Justice and Law; Lessius, S.J. (1623), On the Four Cardinal Virtues; D. Soto, O.Pr. (1560), On Justice and Law”Vermeersch names his treatise among those on special parts of moral theology that keep the scholastic method	Vermeersch, Theologia moralis I, n. 19
“The most learned Soto explains this question”Medina, as Tanquerey quotes him, reports that in morals Soto forbade following the probable opinion, the more probable being left aside	Tanquerey, Fundamental Moral Theology, n. 393
“for all the propositions advanced by Cajetan, by Bannes, by Vitoria, by Soto”Daniel: the Dominicans would suffer if this doctor’s particular propositions were imputed to their Order, as the Jesuits’ are to theirs	Daniel, Apology, ¶ 150
“Dominic Soto, O.P. (+ 1560)”Koch-Preuss name him among the authors of notable monographs on ethical topics	Koch-Preuss, Handbook I, history of moral theology
“Now he is esteemed a great theologian who possesses the greatest authority among theologians on account of his distinguished doctrine, prudence, and probity”Konings names him among the great theologians whose word that an opinion is probable makes it so	Konings, Compendium, n. 57

Works Our Authors Used

Soto, Dominicus de, O.P., 1494-1560, De Justitia et jure, Salamanca, 1556. — Tanquerey's list

In the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)

“Dominic Soto”, vol. 14, by Charles Callan. Public domain; transcription at New Advent (which expands some of the print's abbreviations).

Dominican, renowned theologian, b. at Segovia, 1494; d. at Salamanca, 15 Nov., 1560. His first studies were made in his native city. He next studied at the University of Alcalá under St. Thomas of Villanova, and later went to Paris, where he obtained his baccalaureate in philosophy. Having studied theology for a time at Paris, he returned to Alcalá about 1520, and was made professor of Philosophy in the College of San Ildelfonso. In this capacity he distinguished himself by securing a complete triumph of moderate Realism over the errors of Nominalism. Already enjoying a wide reputation as a professor, and apparently destined for higher honours, he was suddenly moved in 1524 to abandon his chair as teacher and join a religious order. Straightway he made a retreat at the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, and then sought admission into the Order of Preachers at Burgos, where he was received and entered upon his novitiate in the Convent of St. Paul. The following year (23 July, 1525) he was admitted to profession, and was made at once professor of dialects in his convent. In 1529 appeared his first work called "Summulae", which in simplicity, precision, and clearness was a decided improvement on the manuals of logic then in use. After teaching in his convent for seven years, he was called to a chair of theology in the University of Salamanca on 27 Nov., 1532, and continued to teach there till 1545, when he was chosen by Charles V imperial theologian at the Council of Trent. During his labours at the council he rendered great service in helping to formulate dogmatic decrees and in solving theological difficulties. The general of his order, Albertus Casaus, having died just before the opening of the council, it fell to Soto to represent his order during the first four sessions. In the following sessions he represented the newly-elected general, Franciscus Romaeus. It was at Trent that Soto wrote and dedicated to the fathers of the council his treatise "De natura et gratia", in which he clearly and ably expounds the Thomistic teaching on original sin and grace. When the council was interrupted in 1547, Soto was summoned by Charles V to Germany as his confessor and spiritual director. He refused the Bishopric of Segovia offered him by the emperor, and in 1550 was permitted to return to his convent at Salamanca, where he was elected prior the same year. Two years later he succeeded Melchior Cano in the principal chair of theology at the University of Salamanca, at that time the metropolis of the intellectual world. In 1556 Soto resigned his professorial chair. Chief among his philosophical works, besides the "Summulae", are: "In dialecticam Aristotelis commentarii" (Salamanca, 1544); "In VIII libros physicorum" (Salamanca, 1545). The following are his best-known theological works: "De natura et gratia libri III (Venice, 1547); "De ratione tegendi et detegendi secretum" (Salamanca, 1541); "De justitia et jure libri X" (Salamanca, 1556); "Comment. in Ep. ad Romanos" (Antwerp, 1550); "In IV sent. libros comment." (Salamanca, 1555-56).

Sources: ECHARD, Script. ord. praed., II, 171 sq.; HURTER, Nomenclator, II (Innsbruck, 1906), 1373 sq.; VEIL in Revue thomiste (May, June, 1904), 151 sqq.; (May, June, 1905), 174 sqq.