Thomas Aquinas On The Existence Of God And Concept Of Politics

Basically, Aquinas’s discussion of the concept of law enables us to understandrnhis treatment of politics. That is why I gave more emphasis on his concept ofrnlaw. In fact, the main factor why I brought the issue of the existence of Godrninto discussion in addition to Aquinas’s theory of politics is, as I have said inrnthe introductory part, because of Aquinas’s stance (stand point). That is, herninsists that the issue of God’s existence must come first with regard to thernconcept of God and related issues. Accordingly, I brought his five ways intorndiscussion. In addition, his concept of free will is also part of his treatment ofrnpolitics.Aquinas argues that law is concerned with the common good rather than withrnthe good of the individual. Both Aristotle and Aquinas argue that all good lawsrnare considered good so long as they are enacted for the common good. Thatrnmeans, the ruler should act for the good of the state; his law should aim at therncommon good of the citizens. Accordingly, Aquinas insists that the basicrnpurpose of the state is to protect the common good. Likewise; law also has anrnessential relation to reason. Aquinas’s basic argument, with regard to law andrnreason, is that: “since actions are taken according to reason, that which guidesrnactions also must be taken according to reason.Aquinas recognizes not only one or two forms of law as modern philosophersdo. Rather he provides us with four main kinds of law: eternal law, natural law,human law, and divine law. Among these laws, he considers the first one as thehighest law. Natural law is the rational creature’s participation of the eternallaw; the eternal law as it applies to human beings. Aquinas considers the firstrnprinciples of the natural law as the same for everyone and known to all. Inrnother words, reason in man is capable of apprehending these first principles.rnThat means, our inclination to do good and avoid evil is derived by ourrnparticipation in the eternal law. These first principles of the natural law,rnaccording to him, are: “Good is what all things seek,” and ‘Good is to be donernand promoted, and evil is to be avoided.” All other principles of natural law,rnaccording to him, are dependent upon these first principles of natural law.rnWhereas human laws are mutable, the first principles of the natural laws arernimmutable since they cannot be abolished from the human heart. In factrnhuman law, according to Aquinas, refers man’s formulation of his own law inrnorder to apply natural law to the specific geographical, historical, and socialrncircumstances. The essential characteristics of human law are - it is derivedrnfrom the natural law, it is directed to the common welfare of the city, it shouldrnbe promulgated by the ruler of the community, and it is directive of humanrnactions. Aquinas also insists that human law does not punish who meditatesrnmurder but does not commit it. This tells us, according to him, that human lawrnis not competent to judge the interior actions. So, we need another law that isrncapable of judging both the interior and the exterior actions. And Aquinas callsrnthis law as divine law. With regard to free will, Aquinas insists that free willrndistinguishes man from the animals because man is the master of his actionsrnthrough his reason and will. This Aquinas’s standpoint fits with Marx’s view ofrnfreedom. According to Marx free will is peculiar to man. The being of free will isrnman. Marx also insists that man by his volition (free will) adapts hisrnenvironment where as animals follow a predetermined pattern of behavior; arnbehavior that adapts the environment (or nature) as it is without struggling tornalter it through volition

Get Full Work

Report copyright infringement or plagiarism