Thomas Aquinas on the passions: a study of Summa theologiae: 1a2ae 22-48

617 Pages·2011·2.09 MB·English

by  Miner Robert

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THOMAS AQUINAS ON THE PASSIONS
The Summa theologiae is Thomas Aquinas’ undisputed masterwork, and it
includes his thoughts on the elemental forces in human life.
Feelings such as love, hatred, pleasure, pain, hope, and despair were described
by Aquinas as “passions,” representing the different ways in which happiness
could be affected. But what causes the passions?
What impact do they have on the person who suffers them? Can they be shaped
and reshaped in order to promote human flourish-ing? The aim of this book is to
provide a better understanding of Aquinas’ account of the passions. It identifies
the Aristotelian influences that lie at the heart of the Summa Theologiae, and it
enters into a dialogue with contemporary thinking about the nature of emotion.
The study argues that Aquinas’ work is still important today, and shows why for
Aquinas both the understanding and the attain-ment of happiness require
prolonged reflection on the passions.
r o b e r t
m i n e r
is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Baylor University.

THOMAS AQUINAS ON
THE PASSIONS
A Study of Summa Theologiae 1a2ae 22–48
ROBERT MINER

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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Cambridge University Press
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© Robert Miner 2009
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part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University
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First published in print format 2009
ISBN-13 978-0-511-51795-2
eBook (NetLibrary)
ISBN-13 978-0-52189748-8
hardback
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accurate or appropriate.

Contents
List of figures
page vii
List of tables
viii
Acknowledgments
ix
A note on the texts
xi
Introduction
1
part 1
the passions in general
11
1
The sensitive appetite
13
2
The definition of passion
29
3
The activation of passion
58
4
The morality of the passions
88
part 2
particular passions: the concupiscible
passions
109
5
Love
111
6
Hatred and concupiscence
140
7
Pleasure
160
8
Sorrow
188
part 3
particular passions: the irascible passions
213
9
Hope and despair
215
10
Fear
231
v

vi
Contents
11
Daring
252
12
Anger
268
Epilogue: The passions, the virtues, and happiness 287
Bibliography
300
Index
308

Figures
2.1
The narrative structure of the concupiscible passions
page 42
2.2
The passions as ordered pairs (coniugationes )
54
3.1
Appetition follows sense apprehension
67
3.2
Appetition follows sensation and imagination
69
3.3
The estimative power, activated by sensation and
imagination