Aquinas Flashcards
(8 cards)
Who was Aquinas?
A Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian who lived in the thirteenth century
the theory of natural law
We can use our reason to know that our purpose is the contribute to the flourishing of the human race and we can work out from this that there are certain moral rules we should follow.
What does Aquinas believe a human’s telos is?
to act in line with God’s eternal law for us which is to act for the good of the human community so that it flourishes and to see God face to face in Heaven
How does Aquinas define right and wrong actions?
Moral actions are right as long as they are in keeping with this purpose and wrong if they are not in keeping with this
what is the name given to the five general inclinations that all humans share which contribute to the flourishing of the human community?
the primary precepts
what are the primary precepts?
- to live
- to reproduce
- to educate offspring
- to know God
- to live in society
what are secondary precepts?
specific moral rules that can be deduced from the primary precepts
what is a telos?
a goal or purpose
