more on this theme
|
more from this thinker
Single Idea 22113
[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / D. Justice / 2. The Law / c. Natural law
]
Full Idea
All things to be done or to be avoided pertain to the precepts of natural law, which practical reasoning apprehends naturally as being human goods.
Gist of Idea
Right and wrong actions pertain to natural law, as perceived by practical reason
Source
Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], Ia IIae.Q94.2c), quoted by Kretzmann/Stump - Aquinas, Thomas 13
Book Ref
'Shorter Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Craig,Edward [Routledge 2005], p.44
A Reaction
No mention of God, but you feel the divine presence in the background. He also cites 'eternal law'. No coincidence that the atheist Hobbes rejected natural law. Personally I would offer an atheistic defence of natural law, based on human nature.
The
61 ideas
from 'Summa Theologicae'
8009
|
Aquinas wanted, not to escape desire, but to transform it for moral ends
[Aquinas, by MacIntyre]
|
5614
|
If you assume that there must be a necessary being, you can't say which being has this quality
[Kant on Aquinas]
|
20211
|
Life aims at the Beatific Vision - of perfect happiness, and revealed truth
[Aquinas, by Zagzebski]
|
22106
|
Aquinas saw angels as separated forms, rather than as made of 'spiritual matter'
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
5508
|
Aquinas says a fertilized egg is not human, and has no immortal soul
[Aquinas, by Martin/Barresi]
|
22111
|
Aquinas attributes freedom to decisions and judgements, and not to the will alone
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
22107
|
Sensations are transmitted to 'internal senses' in the brain, chiefly to 'phantasia' and 'imagination'
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
21251
|
We can't know God's essence, so his existence can't be self-evident for us
[Aquinas]
|
21248
|
If the existence of truth is denied, the 'Truth does not exist' must be true!
[Aquinas]
|
21249
|
Some things are self-evident to us; others are only self-evident in themselves
[Aquinas]
|
21250
|
A proposition is self-evident if the predicate is included in the essence of the subject
[Aquinas]
|
9094
|
Mathematical objects abstract both from perceived matter, and from particular substance
[Aquinas]
|
9092
|
Abstracting A from B generates truth, as long as the connection is not denied
[Aquinas]
|
9093
|
We understand the general nature of things by ignoring individual peculiarities
[Aquinas]
|
9097
|
The mind abstracts generalities from images, but also uses images for understanding
[Aquinas]
|
9095
|
Very general ideas (being, oneness, potentiality) can be abstracted from thought matter in general
[Aquinas]
|
9096
|
The mind must produce by its own power an image of the individual species
[Aquinas]
|
9099
|
Particular instances come first, and (pace Plato) generalisations are abstracted from them
[Aquinas]
|
9098
|
Mental activity combines what we sense with imagination of what is not present
[Aquinas]
|
15812
|
Being implies distinctness, which implies division, unity, and multitude
[Aquinas]
|
23306
|
Humans have a non-physical faculty of reason, so they can be immortal
[Aquinas, by Sorabji]
|
22399
|
Temperance prevents our passions from acting against reason
[Aquinas]
|
22112
|
For humans good is accordance with reason, and bad is contrary to reason
[Aquinas]
|
22114
|
Tyrannical laws are irrational, and so not really laws
[Aquinas]
|
22113
|
Right and wrong actions pertain to natural law, as perceived by practical reason
[Aquinas]
|
16687
|
Bodies are three-dimensional substances
[Aquinas]
|
16765
|
Humans only have a single substantial form, which contains the others and acts for them
[Aquinas]
|
21337
|
A knowing being possesses a further reality, the 'presence' of the thing known
[Aquinas]
|
21266
|
God does not exist, because He is infinite and good, and so no evil should be discoverable
[Aquinas]
|
21274
|
It is part of God's supreme goodness that He brings good even out of evil
[Aquinas]
|
21268
|
Non-human things are explicable naturally, and voluntary things by the will, so God is not needed
[Aquinas]
|
21267
|
Supposing many principles is superfluous if a few will do it
[Aquinas]
|
21269
|
Way 1: the infinite chain of potential-to-actual movement has to have a first mover
[Aquinas]
|
21271
|
Way 3: contingent beings eventually vanish, so continuity needs a necessary being
[Aquinas]
|
21270
|
Way 2: no effect without a cause, and this cannot go back to infinity, so there is First Cause
[Aquinas]
|
21272
|
Way 4: the source of all qualities is their maximum, so something (God) causes all perfections
[Aquinas]
|
21273
|
Way 5: mindless things act towards an obvious end, so there is an intelligent director
[Aquinas]
|
22105
|
The human intellectual soul is an incorporeal, subsistent principle
[Aquinas]
|
22108
|
First grasp what it is, then its essential features; judgement is their compounding and division
[Aquinas]
|
7291
|
For Aquinas a war must be in a just cause, have proper authority, and aim at good
[Aquinas, by Grayling]
|
23173
|
If a syllogism admits one absurdity, others must follow
[Aquinas]
|
20224
|
Sensation prepares the way for intellectual knowledge, which needs the virtues of reason
[Aquinas]
|
23174
|
Natural law is a rational creature's participation in eternal law
[Aquinas]
|
23175
|
The conclusions of speculative reason about necessities are certain
[Aquinas]
|
23176
|
Truth is universal, but knowledge of it is not
[Aquinas]
|
4412
|
Those in bliss have their happiness increased by seeing the damned punished
[Aquinas]
|
22494
|
We must know the end, know that it is the end, and know how to attain it
[Aquinas]
|
23177
|
Justice directs our relations with others, because it denotes a kind of equality
[Aquinas]
|
23178
|
Divine law commands some things because they are good, while others are good because commanded
[Aquinas]
|
23179
|
People differ in their social degrees, and a particular type of right applies to each
[Aquinas]
|
23180
|
The will is the rational appetite
[Aquinas]
|
23181
|
All acts of virtue relate to justice, which is directed towards the common good
[Aquinas]
|
23182
|
Legal justice is supreme, because it directs the other virtues to the common good
[Aquinas]
|
20621
|
Types of lying: Speak lies, intend lies, intend deception, aim at deceptive goal?
[Aquinas, by Tuckness/Wolf]
|
10505
|
We can just think of an apple's colour, because the apple is not part of the colour's nature
[Aquinas]
|
10504
|
Abstracting either treats something as separate, or thinks of it separately
[Aquinas]
|
10503
|
We abstract forms from appearances, and acquire knowledge of immaterial things
[Aquinas]
|
10507
|
Numbers and shapes are abstracted by ignoring their sensible qualities
[Aquinas]
|
10506
|
Mathematics can be abstracted from sensible matter, and from individual intelligible matter
[Aquinas]
|
10508
|
Species are abstracted from appearances by ignoring individual conditions
[Aquinas]
|
10509
|
Understanding consists entirely of grasping abstracted species
[Aquinas]
|