Aquinas’s ethics : metaphysical foundations, moral theory, and theological context

259 Pages·2016·0.94 MB·English

by  Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung

Aquinas s
'
Ethics
Metaphysical
Foundations,
Moral theory,
and
theological
context
Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung
Colleen McCluskey
Christina Van Dyke
’
Aquinas s
thics
E

’
Aquinas s
thics
E
Metaphysical Foundations,
Moral Theory, and Theological Context
Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung,
Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke
University of Notre Dame Press
Notre Dame, Indiana
Copyright © 2009by University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
All Rights Reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
DeYoung, Rebecca Konyndyk.
Aquinas’s ethics : metaphysical foundations, moral theory, and
theological context / Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Colleen McCluskey,
and Christina Van Dyke.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn-13:978-0-268-02601-1(pbk. : alk. paper)
isbn-10:0-268-02601-7(pbk. : alk. paper)
1.Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, 1225?–1274. 2.Ethics, Medieval.
I. McCluskey, Colleen, 1957– II. Dyke, Christina van, 1972–
III. Title.
b765.t54d475 2009
241'.042092—dc22
2009006989
∞The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and
durability ofthe Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity
ofthe Council on Library Resources.
for Eleonore Stump,
who first inspired this project and whose work on Aquinas
continues to inspire us

contents
Acknowledgments xi
List of Abbreviations xv
Introduction 1
Aquinas’sConnection to Aristotle 3
Happiness as the End of Human Nature and Human Actions 7
part one
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
vii
viii Contents
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
ACloser Look at Bad Actions 96
Sins of Ignorance 98
Sins of Passion 102
Sins ofthe Will 104
Six Habits and Freedom 110
Habit Formation 110
Freedom of Action 115
Aquinas in the Current Debate 123
The Road Ahead 124
Contents ix
part three
HUMAN FLOURISHING
Seven The Virtues 129
What Is a Virtue? 131
Kinds ofVirtues 137
ACloser Look at the Theological Virtues 147
Eight Law and Grace 152
Law 152
Defending an Integrationist Reading of Aquinas’sEthics 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
The Virtue of Courage 181
Epilogue 188
Notes 190
Index 237