Aquinas's Ethics: Metaphysical Foundations, Moral Theory, and Theological Context

by Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Colleen McCluskey, Christina Van Dyke

Overview

The purpose of Aquinas's Ethics is to place Thomas Aquinas's moral theory in its full philosophical and theological context and to do so in a way that makes Aquinas (1224/5-1274) readily accessible to students and interested general readers, including those encountering Aquinas for the first time. Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke begin by explaining Aquinas's theories of the human person and human action, since these ground his moral theory. In their interpretation, Aquinas's theological commitments crucially shape his account of the human person, human capacities for action, and human flourishing. The authors develop a comprehensive picture of Aquinas's thought, which is designed to help students understand how his concept of happiness and the good life are part of a coherent, theologically-informed worldview.

Many studies of Aquinas naturally focus on certain areas of his thought and tend to assume a general knowledge of the whole. Aquinas's Ethics takes the opposite approach: it intentionally links his metaphysics and anthropology to his action theory and ethics to illuminate how the moral theory is built on foundations laid elsewhere. The authors emphasize the integration of concepts of virtue, natural law, and divine grace within Aquinas's ethics, rather than treating such topics in isolation or opposition. Their approach, presented in clear and deliberately non-specialist language, reveals the coherent nature of Aquinas's account of the moral life and of what fulfills us as human beings. The result is a rich and engaging framework for further investigation of Aquinas's thought and its applications.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780268063412
Publisher:	University of Notre Dame Press
Publication date:	05/15/2009
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.75(d)

About the Author

Christina Van Dyke is associate professor of philosophy at Calvin College.

Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung is professor of philosophy at Calvin College.

Colleen McCluskey is associate professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

List of Abbreviations xv

Introduction 1

Aquinas's Connection to Aristotle 3

Happiness as the End of Human Nature and Human Actions 7

Part 1 Human Nature

One The Metaphysics of Human Nature 13

The Hierarchy of Being 14

Two Ends of the Spectrum: Pure Actuality and Pure Potentiality 18

Material Substances, Intellects, and Human Beings 20

Being and Goodness: God, Creatures, and Function 24

Two Soul and Body 27

Soul 28

Bodies, Matter, and Human Beings 35

Souls in Separation from Matter 40

Human Persons 43

Three Human Capacities and the Image of God 46

Essence and Capacity 49

The Soul's Capacities in General 50

Specific Capacities of the Rational Soul 52

Intellect and Will 57

Being and Goodness Revisited 63

Part Two Human Actions

Four Actions and Ends 69

The Source of Human Action 70

The Ultimate End of Action 73

The Process of Action: Intellect and Will 78

The Process of Action: Passion 85

Five The Moral Appraisal of Actions 90

Good and Bad Actions in General 90

A Closer Look at Bad Actions 96

Sins of Ignorance 98

Sins of Passion 102

Sins of the Will 104

Six Habits and Freedom 110

Habit Formation 110

Freedom of Action 115

Aquinas in the Current Debate 123

The Road Ahead 124

Part Three Human Flourishing

Seven The Virtues 129

What Is a Virtue? 131

Kinds of Virtues 137

A Closer Look at the Theological Virtues 147

Eight Law and Grace 152

Law 152

Defending an Integrationist Reading of Aquinas's Ethics 159

Grace 165

Virtue, Law, and Grace as Interior and Exterior Guides to Action 169

Nine Theologically Transformed Virtue and Vice 173

The Vice of Sloth 175

TheVirtue of Courage 181

Epilogue 188

Notes 190

Index 237

Editorial Reviews

"Aquinas’s Ethics is a perfect introduction to one of the most sophisticated and influential ethical systems in Western thought. DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke capture the brilliant clarity of Aquinas’s moral vision, offering an illuminating perspective true to both the theoretical depth and practical richness of Aquinas’s writings. Those new to Aquinas’s ideas will find this book eminently readable. Everyone—students and scholars alike—will appreciate its direct, distinctive voice and clear philosophical intelligence." —Scott MacDonald, Norma K. Regan Professor in Christian Studies, Cornell University

"Aquinas's Ethics is an excellent contribution to the literature on Aquinas and ethics, providing an integrated and robust account of the relationship between a metaphysics of human nature, natural law theory, and virtue theory. Showing these inextricable connections, it is very much like the work of St. Thomas himself, and suggests why so many lesser theories of ethics are unsatisfying for their lack of depth and comprehensive reach." —John Kavanaugh, S.J., Saint Louis University

“DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke have written the ideal introduction to Aquinas’s ethics, situating it in the broader context of his thinking about human nature and action. Although Aquinas cared more about—and wrote more about—ethics than about any other philosophical topic, it remains the most unjustly neglected aspect of his thought. I know of no better guide to that territory than this book.” —Robert Pasnau, University of Colorado at Boulder

“DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke hope to show the metaphysical foundations of Aquinas’s moral theory by placing it within the broader Christian theological context of his work. . . . Rejecting as narrow and ‘unbalanced’ the contemporary view of Thomas as a ‘natural law ethicist,’ the authors try to restore (or relegate) the natural law to its rightful place in his thought. . . . It provides a first-rate introduction for the undergraduate audience.” —Choice

“While this book breaks no new ground, it offers a holistic and theologically informed reading of Aquinas’ ethics. I highly recommend this book as a valuable introduction to the ethics of Thomas Aquinas. It is an eminently clear exposition of a complex system.” —Catholic Library World

“In this recent book, Rebecca DeYoung Konyndyk, Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke have sought to provide a comprehensive yet manageable introduction to St. Thomas Aquinas’ moral thought. The text itself flows well and is uncluttered by notations, with a fairly extensive scholarly apparatus confined to 46 pages of endnotes at the back of the book. Overall, Aquinas’s Ethics is a very useful text that should find a wide readership.” —Dialogue

“This is an excellent introduction not only to Aquinas’s ethics per se but also to much of medieval Scholastic thought in general. . . .Those unfamiliar with medieval philosophy in general or Aquinas’s ethics in particular will gain greatly from having read it. Even those who already have some such familiarity are sure to benefit from the particular metaphysical and integrationist frameworks this work offers.” —Speculum

“The study nicely reflects the authors’ involvement with undergraduate teaching, which affords a refreshing level of presentation, replete with examples. . . . The result is an articulate and detailed presentation of what Aquinas says, yet affording less insight into the issues he was struggling with, or of the creative ways he develops to address them.” —The Living Church

“The authors of Aquinas’s Ethics have furnished budding Thomists and curious onlookers alike with an outstanding introduction to Aquinas’ moral thought. Written for first (or perhaps second) time readers, this volume strikes just the right balance between technical argument and readability, without compromising the rich complexity of Thomas’ account of human nature and the good life.” —Scottish Journal of Theology

From the Publisher

This is an excellent introduction not only to Aquinas’s ethics per se but also to much of medieval Scholastic thought in general. . . .Those unfamiliar with medieval philosophy in general or Aquinas’s ethics in particular will gain greatly from having read it. Even those who already have some such familiarity are sure to benefit from the particular metaphysical and integrationist frameworks this work offers.

Speculum