born Jan. 5, 1548, Granada, Spain
died Sept. 25, 1617, Lisbon
Spanish theologian and philosopher.
In his Metaphysical Disputations (1597), he drew on the works of Aristotle , St. Duns Scotus , and Luis de Molina (1535–1600) to discuss the {{link=free will problem">free will problem and other metaphysical topics. He is widely considered the greatest Scholastic philosopher after Aquinas (see Scholasticism ) and the major Jesuit theologian. His departures from Aquinas's positions have been considered significant enough to warrant the separate designation of his system as Suárezianism.