Aquinas's discussions of moral issues are extensive, and range well beyond the narrowly defined set of issues in the modern tradition of moral philosophy. This volume explores the ethical dimensions of a wide selection of philosophical and theological topics in Aquinas's texts. It covers topics central to ethics, such as happiness, moral virtue, and natural law, as well as related topics pertaining to the metaphysical basis of Aquinas's account of goodness, the ramifications of his ethical concerns for his philosophy of language, and the significance of his philosophical psychology for his ethics.
The volume is divided into three sections focusing, respectively, on issues concerning moral theory and moral theology, moral psychology and practical reason, and moral theory in philosophy of language and metaphysics. The authors-distinguished scholars of medieval philosophy-bring to these issues a variety of approaches and viewpoints. By creatively sampling the breadth of Aquinas's reflections on ethical issues and exploring some of the significant connections that tie his moral thought to other parts of his philosophical and theological system, they display the richness and depth of Aquinas's moral thinking.
Aquinas's discussions of moral issues are extensive, and range well beyond the narrowly defined set of issues in the modern tradition of moral philosophy. This volume explores the ethical dimensions of a wide selection of philosophical and theological topics in Aquinas's texts. It covers topics central to ethics, such as happiness, moral virtue, and natural law, as well as related topics pertaining to the metaphysical basis of Aquinas's account of goodness, the ramifications of his ethical concerns for his philosophy of language, and the significance of his philosophical psychology for his ethics.The volume is divided into three sections focusing, respectively, on issues concerning moral theory and moral theology, moral psychology and practical reason, and moral theory in philosophy of language and metaphysics. The authors-distinguished scholars of medieval philosophy-bring to these issues a variety of approaches and viewpoints. By creatively sampling the breadth of Aquinas's reflections on ethical issues and exploring some of the significant connections that tie his moral thought to other parts of his philosophical and theological system, they display the richness and depth of Aquinas's moral thinking.
Contributors: Jan A. Aertsen, Thomas-Institut, Cologne; E. Jennifer Ashworth, University of Waterloo; John Boler, University of Washington; Mark D. Jordan, Emory University; Anthony Kenny, Oxford University; Peter King, University of Toronto; Scott MacDonald, Cornell University; Gareth B. Matthews, University of Massachusetts, Amherst; Paul Vincent Spade, Indiana University; Eleonore Stump, Saint Louis University
Industry Reviews
"The book is historically and philosophically solid and intellectually stimulating. It is an important work on Aquinas's moral thought."-Simo Knuuttila, The Philosophical Review "Although this anthology is entitled Aquinas's Moral Theory, the essays are topically broader in scope than moral philosophy as we frequently conceive it... Eleonore Stump's essay 'Wisdom: Will, Belief, and Moral Goodness' is noteworthy in using contemporary illustrations of positions held by Aquinas which are pedagogically suggestive."-Janine Marie Idziak, Philosophia Christi "The ten essays by respected scholars in medieval philosophy ... range over a wide number of philosophical and theological topics. Moreover, they explore connections not only within Aquinas's work, but between Aquinas and Aristotle, between Aquinas and his contemporaries, and between Aquinas's thought and problems in contemporary philosophy... The volume demonstrates the truth of two of Kretzmann's most deeply held beliefs about medieval philosophy: that philosophers today can still profit from careful study of Aquinas and that, despite the excellent work already being done in this field, there is much more work to be done."-Journal of the History of Philosophy
