The Specification of Human Actions in St Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas believed that human actions have species, such as theft or almsgiving. A problem arises, however, concerning his teaching on how such moral kinds are determined. Aquinas uses five different terms - end, object, matter, circumstance, and motive - to identify what gives species to
human actions. Although similarities in meaning can be discerned between certain of these terms, apparent differences between others make it difficult to grasp how all five could refer to what specifies human actions. Joseph Pilsner examines and compares Aquinas's understanding of these five terms
to see if a consistent account of his teaching on specification can be proposed.


Author: Joseph Pilsner
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 04/01/2006
Pages: 288
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.95lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.50w x 0.90d
ISBN: 9780199286058

About the Author

Joseph Pilsner is Assistant Professor of Theology, University of St Thomas, Houston.

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