Lecture on Thomistic Philosophy: What Makes a Person Good?

Introduction

• Podcast: Thomistic Institute
• Mission: Promote Catholic intellectual tradition
• Speaker: Discusses big existential questions
  • Key Questions:
    • What makes a person good?
    • What makes a person happy?
  • Importance of questions in personal and group reflection

Main Themes

• Existential Questions:
  • How personal achievements relate to overall goodness
  • Integrating life aspects (career, studies) toward becoming a good person

Thomas Aquinas on Goodness

• Influences:
  • Aristotle, Cicero, Boethius
  • Synthesis of philosophical predecessors
• Intended Overview:
  • Thomistic tradition insights
  • Focus on main principles rather than exhaustive details

Understanding Goodness According to Aquinas

• Definition:
  • Aquinas doesn’t define good explicitly
  • Describes good with two characteristics:
    • Desirable: What arouses our desire, love, appetite
    • Perfective: What perfects or completes a being

Human Freedom and Desire

• Desire is central to human freedom
• Rational creatures seek goodness with a higher order of activity than animals

Goodness and Perfection

• Hierarchical Perfections:
  • From inanimate objects to rational beings (humans)
  • Different types of perfection: plants, animals, humans

The Role of Virtue

• Virtue: Disposition of soul/habit that makes us good
  • Cannot be used badly
  • Acquired through practice and grace
• Cardinal Virtues:
  • Prudence, Justice, Fortitude, Temperance
  • Intellectual virtues important for students

Human Nature and Sin

• State of Integrity vs. Corrupt Nature:
  • Integrity: Human nature as it was pre-fall
  • Corrupt: Human nature post-fall, wounded by sin
  • Effect of Sin:
    • Loss of original grace, rebellion within self
    • Need for education and purification of desires

Role of Grace

• Necessity of Grace:
  • Heals and strengthens human nature
  • Enables pursuit of supernatural virtues
• God's Love:
  • Not because we are good, but to make us good
  • Source of all good and love

Conclusion

• Grace as Central:
  • True Goodness: Requires God’s grace
  • Final Goal: Attaining God through grace
• Spiritual Health: Measured by acts of faith, hope, and love
• God’s Goodness: Makes us good through sharing His life and love

Additional Considerations

• Importance of Asking Questions: Continual reflection on what it means to be good
• Pursuing Friendship: As a rational, characteristically human activity
• Truth Seeking: Central to university life and spiritual growth

This summary encapsulates the key points and principles discussed in the lecture on Thomas Aquinas' perspective on goodness and the role of virtues and grace in achieving true happiness and perfection.