The Thomistic Institute Aquinas on the Stages of Human Action: Part 1 | Fr. James Brent, O.P.
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Jul 3, 2019 Fr. James Brent, O.P., a Dominican priest, delves into Aquinas' perspective on human action, free will, and happiness. Topics include the interplay between intellect and will, the pursuit of ultimate happiness through choices, the balance of good and bad in decision-making, and the complexities of virtue and errors in judgment.
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Everyday Choice Feels Fragmented
- We typically experience free agency as choosing between visible options, which flattens action into unrelated events.
- Aquinas prompts a deeper view where choices form an integrated narrative toward ends.
Against Sophist Anthropology
- Sophist anthropology reduces humans to appetites plus techniques to satisfy them.
- The classical tradition counters by positing higher appetites and reason that perceive and order the good.
All Actions Aim At An End
- All human action aims at ends, and ultimately at happiness, per Aristotle and Aquinas.
- This conclusion follows inductively by asking successive 'why' questions until happiness appears.