1.1.5 Secondary precepts

Question 1

What are the secondary precepts ?

Answer 1

• They can be used in ethical decision making so humans can fulfil their natural purpose.
• They tell moral agents what the primary precepts involve & mean for decision making.
• They show a legalistic part of Aquinas; doing the right thing is a case of deciding what precept to apply.

Question 2

What does Vardy say the secondary precepts do?

Answer 2

• Unpack the primary precepts.
• Allow flexibility in how secondary precepts are applied to situational factors

Question 3

What does Aquinas say real goods are?

Answer 3

• Actions which are consistent with natural purposes & morally good.

Question 4

What does Aquinas say apparent goods are?

Answer 4

• Actions which the moral agent thinks are good but are not.

Question 5

What does Aquinas say about real and apparent goods?

Answer 5

• Apparent good happen when reason has not been used correctly & it’s a conclusion of how to act immorally.
• Apparent goods happen by mistake.