The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast Ep. 381: Aquinas on Ethical Psychology (Part One)
Dec 8, 2025
Dive into the fascinating world of Aquinas as the hosts explore the nature of virtue and its Aristotelian roots. They examine Aquinas' unique question-driven approach and his blending of natural and divine law. The conversation shifts to the role of reason in moral psychology and how habituation influences moral agency from childhood. The distinction between powers and dispositions provides insight into how character shapes intention. Tying it all together, they discuss the concept of teleology and its implications for human actions.
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Virtue Is Disposition Plus Actualization
- Aquinas frames virtue as a tension between habituation (disposition) and active rational choice.
- Virtue is both a trained tendency and an actualized perfection when exercised by reason.
Read Aquinas By Mapping Questions First
- When reading Aquinas, map his disputation structure before diving in to follow the argument.
- Anticipate objections and replies to avoid losing the forest for the trees.
Reason As The Ethical Arbiter
- Aquinas makes reason the central arbiter linking human capacities, law, and the divine.
- Understanding virtue depends on how reason interfaces with will, emotions, and law.
