Aquinas

• What is Aquinas’ main concepts?

  • Ratio
  • Synderesis
  • Conscientia
  • Ignorance
• What is ratio?

  Reason
• What is special about human ratio?

  • Distinguishes us from other animals
  • Placed into us by God
  • The act of working something out
• What is synderesis?

  The natural inclination towards good and away from evil
• What is conscientia?


  Conscience
• What is conscience?

  An act within a human person, arising from the application of ratio to synderesis
• What is sensuality?


  A temptation towards evil
• What are the two types of ignorance?

  • Vincible ignorance
  • Invincible ignorance
• What is vincible ignorance?

  A lack of knowledge for which a person is responsible

  They ought to have known better
• What is invincible ignorance?

  A lack of knowledge for which a person is not responsible

  They have tried to educate themselves, but they get it wrong
• What does John Henry Newman say about conscience?


  Obedience to conscience is more important than anything else - ‘I was following orders’ is not enough
• What is a quote from John Henry Newman?

  “I shall drink to conscience first and the Pope afterwards.”
• How can Aquinas’ approach to conscience be criticised?

  It doesn’t take into account the social, environmental and economic pressures that affect moral decision making