The Department of Philosophy at the College of Arts / University of Basrah organized a panel discussion entitled The Issue of Dialogue in the Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas.

The panel discussion in which the Asst. Lect. Hassan Muhammad Jassem lectured, aims to shed light on Saint Thomas Aquinas’ vision of the most important issue in the medieval era, which is the issue of accepting the other. It is known that the era in which Aquinas lived was characterized by wars, expansion, and persecution between the disputing parties. Aquinas tried to set a set of rules and mechanisms through which one must open up to others and communicate with them away from abuse and wars to be a way and a goal to coexistence and openness to the other.

The panel discussion dealt with Aquinas's vision in dialogue and the mechanism of arguing with the different other. It is not possible to be limited to a particular religion, nationality, language, and thought, and to take and deprive the other of every opinion, right and recognition.

The panel discussion touched on what the researcher mentioned in his book about the nature of relations between different religions and philosophies as a goal to accept the other who is different in faith, religion, sect, or philosophy.