Prima Secundae, Q. 18 and De Malo, Q. 2: A Critical Comparison of Their Teachings Concerning Circumstances and Their Role in Moral Specification

This essay examines the role that circumstances play in determining the morality of moral acts as presented in ST I-II, q. 18 and argues that q. 18 uses two different sets of principles that are left unreconciled in the text. The paper argues that consequently the text is not coherent but is radical...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Diem, William Matthew (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Philosophy Documentation Center [2017]
In: American catholic philosophical quarterly
Year: 2017, Volume: 91, Issue: 3, Pages: 447-471
Further subjects:B Theology
B Ethics
B GOOD & evil
B Virtue
B THOMAS, Aquinas, Saint, ca. 1225-1274
Online Access: Volltext (doi)
Description
Summary:This essay examines the role that circumstances play in determining the morality of moral acts as presented in ST I-II, q. 18 and argues that q. 18 uses two different sets of principles that are left unreconciled in the text. The paper argues that consequently the text is not coherent but is radically divided; specifically, q. 18 holds both that a circumstance--by virtue of being a true circumstance and accident of the act--can make a good act evil but also that whenever a circumstance renders a good act evil it must cease to be a circumstance and an accident. This paper then shows that in De Malo, q. 2 Aquinas provides a distinct and heretofore unappreciated account of circumstances and that he explicitly used the unique features of this account to reconcile the propositions that were left unreconciled in q. 18.
ISSN:2153-8441
Contains:Enthalten in: American catholic philosophical quarterly
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.5840/acpq2017525119