MORALITY AND REASON IN THOMAS AQUINAS PHILOSOPHY: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

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.