John of St. Thomas, OP (John Poinsot)

John of St. Thomas, born João Poinsot, was a Portuguese Dominican friar, Thomist theologian, and professor of philosophy. He is known for being an early theorist in the field of semiotics. He was born on July 9, 1589, in Lisbon, Portugal, to a noble family. He pursued his education at the University of Coimbra and later at the University of Louvain, where he earned a Bachelor of Theology. His admiration for St. Thomas Aquinas led him to join the Dominican Order in Madrid in 1612, adopting the name John of St. Thomas. After his novitiate, he began teaching philosophy and theology at the University of Alcalá, where he became renowned as one of the most learned men of his time. He held the two principal chairs of theology at the university from 1630 and 1640, attracting a large number of scholars. His theological and philosophical writings are considered among the best expositions of Thomas Aquinas's doctrine. He died on June 15, 1644, in Fraga, Spain, at the age of 55.