aquinas

Created by

lola renae

Cards (19)

what is Aquinas' view of the conscience?
conscience is the God-given faculty of reason
aquinas developed NML, what does he begin with?
synderesis principle (do good and avoid evil) - this governs all human reasoning
aquinas argues that what is innate for humans isn't the voice of god telling them what to do BUT...?
the god-given faculty of reason
what do we have to use?
practical reason and make these decisions ourselves
practical reason and reflecting on human nature arrives at and understands what?
the primary precepts of NML
conscience then applies these primary precepts through what?
the secondary precepts, to particular situations
aquinas believes that the conscience is what?
fallible - it can be mistaken
God has given you the ability to...?
think/reflect/make judgements, you need to use your conscience to make moral decisions
the conscience may make a wrong decision, for example...?
if we aren't fully informed about the facts of the case
HOWEVER, the conscience should always be followed, why? 
because what the conscience dictates is true to the individual concerned
(s) aquinas' approach is realistic, how?
because it considers that the conscience is infallible - it's something we use, and we make mistakes
(s) aquinas' emphasis on reason safeguards what?
free will
(s) how does aquinas' emphasis on reason safeguard human free will?
reason allows us to make freely chosen moral decisions (and we have moral responsibility)
(w) what is Aquinas' view dependant on?
belief in God
(w) what does Aquinas assume?
that we all act according to synderesis principle (do good and avoid evil) HOWEVER, observation of the world (moral evil) suggests that not everybody does
(w) what could Aquinas be misunderstanding?
human nature
(w) how do many people act?
irrationally, so has God not given everybody the ability to reason?
(w) why is it that...?
that faculty of reason is much more developed in some people, more than others
what view of the conscience is aquinas?
religious