Aquinas and The Natural Law 1st Sem 2023 2024
Aquinas and The Natural Law 1st Sem 2023 2024
Aquinas and The Natural Law 1st Sem 2023 2024
3. Apply virtue ethics in your life and their role in moral experience.
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)
Aquinas was dubbed “the dumb
Sililian ox” by his fellow students,
for being large and quiet. He was
apparently quiet because he was
busy thinking; he became the
Catholic Church’s top theologian
and philosopher, a title he still
holds today, without dispute.
Who is he?
Aquinas was a Catholic priest in
the Dominican Order and one of
the most important Medieval
philosophers and theologians.
Aquinas’ message:
SELF-PRESERVATION
Primary precepts are required to ensure self-preservation:
REPRODUCTION EDUCATION
CONTRACEPTION
FORTITUDE JUSTICE
To
act in a good way for the wrong reason is to
perform a good exterior act but a bad interior act
and so is the vice versa.
Example 1:
GOOD
EXTERIOR
ACT
I do it to impress someone.
BAD
INTERIOR
ACT
Example 2
GOOD
I give the money to a friend in need. INTERIOR
ACT
According
to Aquinas, the theft of the money is not
made good by my intention to help my friend.
Acts
are intrinsically good or evil.
The end does not justify the means (Aristotle)
Suggest three apparent goods that aren’t at all good, and explain your
choices.
Does it matter if you do a good thing for a wrong reason, such as giving
to charity for the admiration and praise that you’ll receive? Why might
some say that this isn’t the best way to act?
Consider the following and decide, with reference to the primary
precepts why Aquinas would think them wrong: contraception, murder,
rape, adultery. Are there any which are unclear or raise concerns?
Explain your answers.