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Philo 23 B3

Thesis Statement 4

Aquinas, doing a synthesis of both Plato and Aristotle, claims that the obligation of morality
is written into the very nature of the human being ontologically first, and then shines out to a
reason that discerns the nature of the human beings. We have in our nature what it takes to
be good: the eternal law, right reason--which, looking into our natural inclinations reads
there the good that it now promulgates into the natural law. For Aquinas, the moral life is
one important journey from and back to the source of being. 
NOTES:

- Aquinas, doing a synthesis of both Plato and Aristotle,

NOTES:
 To discuss this thesis statement, I shall present three main points; First is the account of
morality
- We have fornature
in our Plato and Aristotle
what andtohow
it takes St. Thomas
be good: Aquinaslaw,
the eternal formulated his own
right reason--
which,synthesis on this. Plato maintains a conception of ethics that is virtue-based, and Aristotle
gave account on how to measure whether we are virtuous or not by his Doctrine of the
 Eternal law is only known to God but parts of it (i.e., divine law) are revealed to
Mean. St. Thomas Aquinas then provided a synthesis on this by providing an account on
men by God through Holy Scriptures.
the Natural Law.
 Law is nothing but a dictate of practical reason issued by a sovereign who governs
a complete
- claims community.
that the obligation of morality is written into the very nature of the human
 The end of divine government
being ontologically first, and thenis God himself
shines out and
to a his law isthat
reason none other than
discerns the nature
himself;
of the human consequently,
beings. the eternal law is not subordinate to an outside end.
-looking into our natural
 A complicated view inclinations
of human naturereads there
which the goodbelieve
a religious that it could
now promulgates
hold is that
into thehuman
natural law. as we find it, reflects the wisdom and goodness of the creator God. To
nature,
the extent that we can understand ourselves, to that extent we can understand God’s
 Discuss the natural tendencies
designs in creating us as we are, just as to the extent that we can understand
 Eternal law is the supreme exemplar to which we should always conform.
anything else in creation we can to that extent understand how the creator God
 We have also said that he is the governor of all acts and motions to be found in
intended things to be. (Natural Law, Gerard J. Hughes, page 1)
each creature
 If we can show how to base morality upon human nature, we will come to understand
 Eternal law then promulgates into the natural law since it is part of the divine law
how God intended us to live. (Natural Law, Gerard J. Hughes, page 1)
understood by men through reason
 While indeed we are weakened, both in our minds and in our constancy in seeking
the good,
-For Aquinas, (i.e.,
the moral
moral lifedistortion of human journey
is one important nature) this
fromweakness
and back is to
notthe
such as to
source
invalidate the view that, reflecting on ourselves even as we are, we can still see how
of being. 
God intends us to live with the use of human reason.
 Theologically speaking, the spiritual goal of man is to be in union with the divine,
all-powerful, and perfect, we call God. But to participate in this unity one should
act, upon his existence, in accordance with the morality, human reason and the
natural law.