Aquinas on Human Action: A Theory of Practice

254 Pages·1992·49.04 MB·English

by  Ralph McInerny

A patient and faithful working of primary Thomistic texts, this vol
ume presents the systematic and unified character ofA quinas's theory
of moral agency as it relates to human action. Focusing especially on
the Summa theowgiae, Ralph Mdnerny carefully argues that Aquinas's
theory of moral action stands up to contemporary needs and remains
adequate against contemporary criticism.
Intended for both the scholar and the student, Aquinas O'I} Human
Action is the first contribution in over twenty years to expose Aquinas's
thought through primary Thomistic texts. In Part One, the author
examines the fundamental texts in order to demonstrate the coherence
and philosophical sophistication of Aquinas's doctrine. Mdnerny
points out that this theory ofa ction serves as a link between natural law
on the one hand and human good or ultimate end on ·the other. In
Part Two, he undertakes a discussion ofd ivergent viewpoints and offers
a series of relevant debates, so that the reader can place the i~terpreta­
tion provided in Part One in the ongoing philosophical discussion of
Aquinas's doctrine.
This lively and incisive study by a first-rate scholar demonstrates a
breadth of knowledge of Aquinas in a novel yet scholarly fashion. It
provides a dean line of presentation as well as an acknowledgment of
alternative contributions and viewpoints of contemporary scholars.
RALPH MclNERNY is the Michael P. Grace Professor ofM edieval
Studies and director of the Jacques Maritain Center at the University
of Notre Dame. Among his many publications are Ethica Thomistica:
The Moral Philosophy of Thomas Aquinas, Being and Predication:
Thomistic Interpretations, and Boethius and Aquinas.
111111111111111111111111
9 780813 207612
ISBN 0-8132-0761-4
AQUINAS ON HUMAN ACTION
Ralph Mclnerny
AQUINAS ON HUMAN ACTION
A Theory of Practice
The Catholic University of America Press
Washington, D.C.
Copyright © 1992
The Catholic University of America Press
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum
requirements of American National Standards for Information
Science-Permanence of Paper for Printed Library materials.
ANSI z39.48-1984.
00
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA
Mcinerny, Ralph M.
Aquinas on human action : a theory of practice I by Ralph
Mcinerny.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Thomas, Aquinas, Saint, 1225?-1274. 2. Human
acts-History of doctrines-Middle Ages, 600-1500. 3. Act
(Philosophy) 1. Title.
BJ255·T5M35 1992
170-dc20
9o-27754
ISBN 0-8132-0746-0
ISBN pbk 0-8132-0761-4
For Dave and Lou Solomon
In operationibus enim et
passionibus humanis, in quibus
experientia plurimum valet,
magis movent exempla quam
verba.
[Prima secundae 34. I]
Contents
Preface 1x
PART ONE
1. Human Acts Are What Humans Do 3
2. What Does It All Mean? 25
3. The Structure of Human Action 51
4. Acting Well or Badly 75
5. Natural Law 103
6. Carrying On I 33
PART TWO
:4 .
7. Aristotle and Thomas: Pere Gauthier 161
8. Donagan on Thomas on Action 178
9. The Primacy of Theoretical Knowledge:
Some Remarks on John Finnis 184
10. Ethics and Metaphysics 193
I I. Natural Law and Natural Rights 207
12. The Right Deed for the Wrong Reason:
Comments on Theo Belmans 220
Index 241
Vil
Preface
This book sets before the reader the theory of moral action found in the
writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, particularly in the Summa theologiae.
The human act is the primary vehicle of moral goodness and badness. In
Part One, I think through the fundamental texts in order to display the
coherence of Thomas's doctrine as well as its philosophical elegance. It is,
I think, important to see that the theory of action is the link between the
discussion of the human good or ultimate end, on the one hand, and of
natural law, on the other. The effort to appropriate the Thomistic analysis
in the first part of the book avoids alternative interpretations, lest contro
versy take the narrative down byways and obscure the presentation. Part
Two consists of a series of considerations of relevant alternative or com
plementary discussions, so that the reader can place the interpretation pro
p.
vided in Part One the ongoing philosophical discussion of Thomas's
doctrine. The different purposes of the two parts are evident in their
different styles, the first being expository and analytic, the second adopting
the voice of dialectic and, sometimes, polemic. It would have been arrogant
to present an interpretation of Thomas that ignored the views of others,
but to mix interpretation with polemics runs the risk of obscuring the
basic doctrine. The division of the book into two parts is done in the hope
of having the best of two worlds: a clean line of presentation as well as
the acknowledgment of the contributions and divergent views of others.
Notre Dame
October 1990

PART ONE
:4 .