Annotated Bibliography:
Primary Sources:
Suarez, Francisco. Disputationes Metaphysicae. Salamanca, 1597.
This foundational metaphysical work presents Suarez’s systematic treatment of being and existence. Written as a series of disputations, it brings together and expands upon scholastic philosophy, particularly Aristotelian and Thomistic frameworks. It was highly influential for both Catholic and early modern philosophers, including Descartes and Leibniz.
Suarez, Francisco. De Legibus ac Deo Legislatore (On Laws and God the Lawgiver). Coimbra, 1612.
Suarez examines the nature of law, arguing that divine and natural law are rooted in God’s reason and will. He connects theology and political philosophy, laying the groundwork for later theories of natural law and early modern political thought. This work is considered central to understanding Suarez’s influence on legal and moral theory.
Suarez, Francisco. Defensio Fidei Catholicae adversus Anglicanae Sectae Errores. Coimbra, 1613.
This work defends the Catholic faith and papal authority against King James I of England’s assertion of royal supremacy. Suarez explores the limits of secular authority and the spiritual independence of the Church. It became a key reference in early modern debates on sovereignty, church-state relations, and political legitimacy.
Suarez, Francisco. Opera Omnia. Edited by M. Vita, Paris: Vives, 1856–1861.
This 28-volume collection compiles Suarez’s complete works on philosophy, theology, and law. It provides modern scholars with authoritative access to his writings, preserving both published and posthumous texts. The collection demonstrates the breadth of Suarez’s influence across multiple disciplines after his death.
Secondary Sources:
Doyle, John P. Francisco Suarez on the Analogy of Being. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 1995.
Doyle examines Suarez’s theory of being, with a focus on the role of analogy in his metaphysical system. He explains how Suarez reformulated medieval concepts of analogy, bridging scholastic thought and early modern philosophy. This book is valuable for understanding Suarez’s influence on subsequent metaphysical developments.
Ariew, Roger. “Descartes and Leibniz as Readers of Suárez: Theory of Distinctions and Principle of Individuation.” The Philosophy of Francisco Suárez, edited by Benjamin Hill and Henrik Lagerlund, Oxford University Press, 2012, pp. 38–56
This chapter examines how Francisco Suarez’s metaphysical ideas influenced early modern philosophers, especially Rene Descartes and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Ariew explains how both thinkers adapted Suarez’s theories of distinction and individuation concepts about what makes things separate or unique to fit their own philosophical systems.
Sgarbi, Marco. Francisco Suárez and His Legacy: The Impact of Suárezian Metaphysics and Epistemology on Modern Philosophy. Vita e Pensiero, 2010.
This book explores the long lasting influence of Francisco Suarez’s metaphysics and epistemology on modern European philosophy. Sgarbi traces how Suarez’s scholastic methods and ideas about being, knowledge, and causality shaped the work of early modern thinkers like Descartes, Leibniz, and Wolff. By connecting medieval scholasticism with rationalism, the author shows Suarez’s role as a key bridge between two major philosophical eras.