THOMAS

AQUINAS’ ETHICS
INTRODUCTION

Thomas Aquinas Profile

• Born on 1225 in
Roccasseca, Italy.
• Died: March 7, 1274
• Also called the Angelic
Doctor and the Prince of
Scholastics
• He is an Italian Philosopher
and Theologian
INTRODUCTION

Aquinas’ Ethics
• In Ethics, Aquinas depends so heavily on Aristotle.
• Happiness is not attainable in this life
• True Happiness only found in the souls of the blessed
in heaven
INTRODUCTION

The Basic Human Needs:

• 1. Life
• 2. Marriage
• 3. Knowledge
• 4. Living in fellowship with others
• 5. Practical reasonableness itself
• 6. Knowing and relating appropriately to the
transcendent cause of all being, value, norvality and
efficacious action
INTRODUCTION

The Natural Law

• Aquinas Law should also be understood in terms of “rules and

measures” for people’s conduct and as “rational patters or forms”.

• For Aquinas there are four primary types of law:

• 1. Eternal.
• 2. Natural.
• 3. Human
• 4. Divine
 A L
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E A N L AW
ET AW HUM
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NA
TURA DIVI
L LA N
W E LA
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FOUR PRIMARY TYPES OF

LAW
 FOUR PRIMARY TYPES OF LAW

• Eternal Law- the rational plan of God by

which all creation is ordered.

• Natural Law- aspect of the eternal law

which is accessible to human reason.
FOUR PRIMARY TYPES OF LAW

HUMAN LAW
• Human rights
refers to positive laws
is the laws of society that are made up by
humans for humans
It includes;
• Civil Law
• Criminal Law
FOUR PRIMARY TYPES OF LAW

DIVINE LAW
• Law of revelation
• Law that comes from a greater power than a man,
typically a type of GOD.
• Law of God

• It is divided into the;

Old Law
New Law
 NATURAL LAW

• Primarily significant in Ethics.

• Knowable by all
• Knowable by natural reason
Good - to be promoted
Evil - to be avoided
NATURAL LAW
3 Natural Inclinations

1. To survive;
2. To reproduce and educate offspring; and
3. To know the truth about God and to live peacefully in
society.

• Ultimate End = Knowing God

• Temporal End = Temporary endings
NATURAL LAW
PRINCIPLE

“the closer an action approaches our end, the

more moral it is; the further it departs, the
more immoral”

Thomas for instance argues that its ends involve

procreation within the bond of marriage and unifying
the married couple.
 ACCIDENTS
SPECI
E S
N D
E

The Features of Human Action

The Features of Human Action

• "Morality is the application of

reason to discover the proper
guide to our human conduct." -
Thomas Aquinas
The Features of Human Action

• Man's basic good is to live

according to reason.
The Features of Human Action

•Species,
•Accidents; and
•End.
The Features of Human Action

•Species - The object

of an action.
The Features of Human Action

• ACCIDENT -
Circumstances surrounding
the action
The Features of Human Action

•END- stands for

agents intention
The Features of Human Action

BEST ACTION
• A

+
• APPROPRIATE SITUATION
+
• GOOD INTENTION
=
• JUST AND MORAL ACTION
HAPPINESS, MORAL VIRTUES
& THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES
HAPPINESS, MORAL VIRTUES & THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

• Final End : Happiness

What is happiness
for you?
HAPPINESS, MORAL VIRTUES & THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

"A person needs a moral character

cultivated through habits of choice
to realize real happiness"
HAPPINESS, MORAL VIRTUES & THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

• Virtue
"A good habit bearing on activity"

• Acquired Habit vs. Infused Habit

HAPPINESS, MORAL VIRTUES & THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

Infused Habit

Moral virtues Theological Virtues

FOUR FACETS OF MORAL
VIRTUES

• PRUDENCE
• JUSTICE
• FORTITUDE
• TEMEPRANCE
THEOLOGICAL VIRTUES

• HOPE
• FAITH
• CHARITY
AN ANALYSIS OF THOMISTIC ETHICS
 AN ANALYSIS OF THOMISTIC
ETHICS
• Thomas Aquinas is a REALIST (Realism)
• Virtue Ethicist
• Definitely against contemporary moral philosophies
• Incompatible with Nihilism
• Irreconcilable with relativism and conventionalism
• Against with Absolute Skepticism
• He is more of Deontologist or Kantian than
Utilitarianism
• “Do good, avoid evil, pursue knowledge, and live at peace
with our neighbors”
• Aquinas is looking for middle ground.
• Trying to compromise.