Aquinas's Ethics: Metaphysical Foundations, Moral Theory, and Theological Context

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“Aquinas’s Ethics is a perfect introduction to one of the most sophisticated and influential ethical systems in Western thought. DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke capture the brilliant clarity of Aquinas’s moral vision, offering an illuminating perspective true to both the theoretical depth and practical richness of Aquinas’s writings. Those new to Aquinas’s ideas will find this book eminently readable. Everyone—students and scholars alike—will appreciate its direct, distinctive voice and clear philosophical intelligence.” —SCOTT MACDONALD, Norma K. Regan, Cornell University “Aquinas’s Ethics is an excellent contribution to the literature on Aquinas and ethics, providing an integrated and robust account of the relationship between a metaphysics of human nature, natural law theory, and virtue theory. Showing these inextricable connections, it is very much like the work of St. Thomas himself, and suggests why so many lesser theories of ethics are unsatisfying for their lack of depth and comprehensive reach.” —JOHN KAVANAUGH, S.J., Saint Louis University “DeYoung, McCluskey, and Van Dyke have written the ideal introduction to Aquinas’s ethics, situating it in the broader context of his thinking about human nature and action. Although Aquinas cared more about—and wrote more about— ethics than about any other philosophical topic, it remains the most unjustly neglected aspect of his thought. I know of no better guide to that territory than this book.” —ROBERT PASNAU, University of Colorado at Boulder Many studies of Aquinas naturally focus on certain areas of his thought and tend to assume a general knowledge of the whole. Aquinas’s Ethics takes the opposite approach: it intentionally links his metaphysics and anthropology to his action theory and ethics to illuminate how the moral theory is built on foundations laid elsewhere. The authors emphasize the integration of concepts of virtue, natural law, and divine grace within Aquinas’s ethics. Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung is associate professor of philosophy at Calvin College. Colleen McCluskey is associate professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University. Christina Van Dyke is associate professor of philosophy at Calvin College. UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME PRESS Notre Dame, IN 46556 undpress.nd.edu Aquinas's Ethics METAPHYSICAL FOUNDATIONS, MORAL THEORY, AND THEOLOGICAL CONTEXT Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung , Colleen McCluskey, Christina Van Dyke Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung, Colleen McCluskey, and Christina Van Dyke Metaphysical Foundations, Moral Theory, and Theological Context Aquinas’s Ethics ...