ABSTRACT
I intended to expose the indepth meaning of reason and morality.
Using man as the major point on this discussion, due to the higher
rational faculty he possess over other creature.
We shall also answer the question as: has reason any influence or
part to play in morality? Or put simply, is reason necessarily required
for man to be moral? If yes, should reason be the sole factor for
morality? But if no, what then?
This work is going to be base mostly on reason and morality in Thomas
Aquinas’ philosophy. To unfold this, this work will be based on four
chapter work.
We are going to see how morality should be guided by reason. In
Chapter one thought of the introductory and in Chapter two, we shall
examine firstly, the life and works of Thomas Aquinas. In the second
part of Chapter two, the meaning and notion of morality by giving its
definition and several conception of it. In the third part of Chapter
two, we shall sketch the nature of morality. Chapter Three unfolds a
devotion to reason in a bid to give its meaning, we shall define it and
then examine its nature. Also we shall consider the role of reason as a
guide in other aspects of man’s behaviour, it role as a guide in
morality will be taken care of.
In chapter four, we shall be concerned with ‘the good of man’. We
shall discuss life according to the dictate of reason, prudence and
right reason as St. Thomas would call it. The last in Chapter four aimed
at Evaluation and Conclusion.
CHAPTERIZATION
Title Page
Chapterization
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Purpose of Study
1.4 Significance of Study
1.5 Scope of Study
1.6 Methodology
1.7 Literature Review
End Notes
CHAPTER TWO: LIFE AND WORKS OF THOMAS AQUINAS
2.1 The Meaning and Notion of Morality
2.2 Notion of Morality
2.3 The Nature of Morality
End Notes
CHAPTER THREE: MORALITY AND REASON
3.1 Meaning and Nature of Reason
3.2 Role of Reason As A Guide
3.3 Reason in Morality
End Notes
CHAPTER FOUR: THE GOOD OF MAN
4.1 Life According to the Dictate of Reason
4.2 Prudence
4.3 Right Reason
4.4 Evaluation and Conclusion
END NOTE
CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
1.8 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Man has been defined as a rational animal Apart from rationality,
which distinguishes him from other animals, he would just be a beast in
behaviour and man in physical structure. In this regard G. Buffen said
that there is an infinite distance between man and animals, and the
essential cause of this is that man is a being with reason and the
animal is one without reason. In the same vain, Aristotle maintained
that reason, which is the highest faculty of the soul is what sets man
apart from sub-human nature.
The question now is why and how is man rational and in what aspects
of his life is he different from other animals and what factor is behind
these? It has been noticed that man is exclusively marked out from
other animals as regard social, cultural and intellectual forms of
behaviour. It is only man that has an articulated, speech, inventive
capability, knowledge of arts, beauty, politics, religion, morality and
other forms of knowledge that can be associated with reason.
So man is, as a result of this rationality marked out from other
animals, it is not contestable then to associate or attribute the above
enumerated characteristics to his rationality.
As this work centers on morality and reason as that which assures us
of the best moral life, we shall answer such questions as: has reason
any influence or part to play in morality? Or put simply, is reason
necessarily required for man to be moral? If yes, should reason be the
sole factor for morality? But if no, what then? It is undebatable that
man solely has the knowledge of good and evil (morality) and this type
of knowledge can be possessed only by rational beings. In fact, God made
man rational enough to see that he (man) should do what is right.
Having known that man surpasses all the other animals by the
possession of reason, and the only animal that has knowledge of
morality, the question now is, is man moral because of reason or because
of some other physiological factors? If it is because of the later, one
can rightly pose this question: why is it that other animals are
ignorant of morality or are not moral?
St. Thomas Aquinas on whom this work is based, has propounded a
popular dictum regarding man and reason. It is “Bonum Omins est,
secundum rationem esse”, that is, (The good of man in life according to
reason)1. As we shall see, this statement does not rule out the fact
that human life can be controlled by other factors like the will, habit,
passions, emotion and etc, but it affirms that man has a good life
according to reason. One outstanding feature about Aquinas moral theory
is its intellectualism. This will be gradually unfolding as we penetrate
into this work.
In this four chapter work, we are going to see how morality should be guided by reason.
Chapter one presents us with the background (introduction) and in
Chapter two, we shall examine; firstly, life and works of Aquinas, and
the meaning of morality by giving its definition and several conceptions
of it. In the second part of Chapter two, we shall sketch the nature of
morality. Chapter three unfolds a devotion to reason and morality in
Thomas Aquinas philosophy, in a bid to give its meaning. In this Chapter
also, we shall consider the role of reason as a guide in other aspects
of man’s behaviour, then its role as a guide in morality will be taken
care of. In Chapter four, we shall discuss life according to reason,
prudence and right reason, as St. Thomas would call it, the second part
of Chapter four work will be evaluation and conclusion.
1.9 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
There are certain actions which all of us will individually or
collectively condemn as morally wrong and ought not to be done or
performed by anybody. For instance, murder, robbery, embezzlement of
public fund, bribery and corruption, and so on. On the other hand, there
are certain actions like kindness, hospitality, honesty, and so on,
which are consider as morally good. Again, there are certain kinds of
action that do not enjoy universal consensus on their goodness or
badness, rightness or wrongness because of difference in opinion, for
instance abortion, contraception, euthanasia, nuclear warfare, etc.
The need now arises for us to know why in Aquinas philosophy certain
actions are considered good while other are considered bad. What in
Aquinas view, is the yardstick for determining good and bad action? What
is the yardstick for determining good and bad actions and what is the
paradigm for measuring such actions. What, within the assumptions of
Aquinas, does it ever mean to say that an action is good or bad in
itself? Or is it our thinking that makes any action good or bad?
Some people, like Hume opine that reasons is and ought to be the
slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to
serve and obey them. They opined that morality is determined by
sentiments.
Also, some philosophers like St. Thomas Aquinas, the Stoic Duns
Scotus and so on, hold that right reason is the moral standard.
Consequently, whatever is in line with right reason is morally right
while what does not conform to right reason is morally wrong. But how
does one know whether abortion, euthanasia, contraception etc, conforms
to right reasons especially when there are many intelligent and cogent
argument for or against the morality of these actions?
1.10 PURPOSE OF STUDY
The main purpose of this research/work study is to critically analyze
the various notion of morality and reason, in respect to “Thomas
Aquinas”. It is also intended towards serving as an impetus for
improving the level of understanding of morality and reason by upcoming
students of Nigerian university and tertiary institutions alike.
This workstudy is also intended to throw more light on reason and moral ideas, principles and benefits.
1.11 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
One of the significance of this work study is that it exposes the
beautification of morality and reason in general. This study will also
enable us to critically differentiate between the ancient and modern
concepts of morality and reason.
It will be of great benefit, if man observed, and make good use of
his rationality and moral values in order to create and dwell in a
better society. If this is done, man and his society will enhance
thereby checkmating immorality and irrational attitude.
Another significance of this project/work study is that it seeks to
expose some of the lapses that are inherent in man’s approach to
morality and reason.
1.12 SCOPE OF STUDY
Thomas Aquinas interpretation of morality and reason, which is in
line with the precept of human endeavour and his environment will form
the basic line of concentration in this research/work study. The
different notion of morality and reason will also be given pre-eminence
and special attention with a view of critically assessing them.
1.13 METHODOLOGY
The methodology of a work determines its specialty says Aristotle.
The method shows how a thing is done. It is in the light of this fact
that I have decide to adopt the massive use of historical and critical
methods of philosophical enquiry. Other methodologies to be used in this
research/work study include the elaborate consultation of other
relevant philosophical, religious books, literatures, articles and
authorities.
1.14 LITERATURE REVIEW
According to A. Fagothey in his book Right and Reason: Ethnics in
Theory and Practice, morality means – “The quality in human acts by
which we call them right or wrong, good or evil. It is a common term
concerning the goodness or badness of a human act without specifying
which of the two is meant”.1