FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229  
230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   >>   >|  
the good and evil of which we are speaking now are differences of the moral act. Now differences make an essential division in a genus, according to the Philosopher (Metaph. vii, 12). Since therefore an act is moral from being voluntary, it seems that goodness and malice in an act are derived from the will alone. _On the contrary,_ Augustine says (Contra Mendac. vii), that "there are some actions which neither a good end nor a good will can make good." _I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1), we may consider a twofold goodness or malice in the external action: one in respect of due matter and circumstances; the other in respect of the order to the end. And that which is in respect of the order to the end, depends entirely on the will: while that which is in respect of due matter or circumstances, depends on the reason: and on this goodness depends the goodness of the will, in so far as the will tends towards it. Now it must be observed, as was noted above (Q. 19, A. 6, ad 1), that for a thing to be evil, one single defect suffices, whereas, for it to be good simply, it is not enough for it to be good in one point only, it must be good in every respect. If therefore the will be good, both from its proper object and from its end, if follows that the external action is good. But if the will be good from its intention of the end, this is not enough to make the external action good: and if the will be evil either by reason of its intention of the end, or by reason of the act willed, it follows that the external action is evil. Reply Obj. 1: If the good tree be taken to signify the good will, it must be in so far as the will derives goodness from the act willed and from the end intended. Reply Obj. 2: A man sins by his will, not only when he wills an evil end; but also when he wills an evil act. Reply Obj. 3: Voluntariness applies not only to the interior act of the will, but also to external actions, inasmuch as they proceed from the will and the reason. Consequently the difference of good and evil is applicable to both the interior and external act. ________________________ THIRD ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 20, Art. 3] Whether the Goodness and Malice of the External Action Are the Same As Those of the Interior Act? Objection 1: It would seem that the goodness and malice of the interior act of the will are not the same as those of the external action. For the principle of the interior act is the interior apprehen
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220   221   222   223   224   225   226   227   228   229  
230   231   232   233   234   235   236   237   238   239   240   241   242   243   244   245   246   247   248   249   250   251   252   253   254   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

external

 

goodness

 

respect

 

interior

 

action

 

reason

 
depends
 
malice
 

differences

 

intention


circumstances

 

matter

 

willed

 

actions

 

derives

 

principle

 

apprehen

 

intended

 

signify

 
Voluntariness

ARTICLE

 

Whether

 

Goodness

 

Action

 

External

 

Malice

 

applicable

 

Interior

 
Objection
 

applies


difference

 

Consequently

 

proceed

 

Mendac

 

Contra

 
Augustine
 

stated

 

answer

 

contrary

 

Metaph


Philosopher

 
division
 

derived

 

essential

 

voluntary

 

twofold

 
single
 

defect

 

suffices

 
proper