back to ideas for this text


Single Idea 22111

[from 'Summa Theologicae' by Thomas Aquinas, in 16. Persons / F. Free Will / 1. Nature of Free Will ]

Full Idea

Aquinas conceives of freedom as free decision or judgement, which cannot be attributed to the will alone.

Gist of Idea

Aquinas attributes freedom to decisions and judgements, and not to the will alone

Source

report of Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265]) by Kretzmann/Stump - Aquinas, Thomas 12

Book Reference

'Shorter Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy', ed/tr. Craig,Edward [Routledge 2005], p.42


A Reaction

This idea might improve the free will debate considerably, because it is not clear what sort of thing a 'will' is, and it is not clear how an entity can be 'free' in isolation, by its intrinsic nature. Isn't all freedom contextual?