Aquinas notes

Thomas Aquinas notes

We have free will and control of ourselves

We are the master of our actions

“Deliberate will” actions.

Actions must be voluntary

Elicited by our will… willpower

**

“I answer that ..”
Movements as action and passion

“Deliberate will”

How to gain more will power ?

Intention vs. execution

**

“This is evident for two reasons..”

Do we desire the “perfect good”?

We seek “complete perfection”?

What moves the appetite?

Our hunger,,, appetite is what moves us?


Summus… consummate… the highest, most supreme.

Last end for all men is “happiness”? Is it really?

If we don’t have reason,,, we cannot be truly happy


The end of money isn’t to possess it, but to use it! ***

Happiness: acquire the ultimate and last end.

“All things obey money “

Money: tool to acquire everything we desire ?

If we already have everything we desire… what’s the purpose of having additional or excess wealth? Just as fear prevention?

Wealth shines when we give…not just hoard.


Infinite wants… we keep eating,,,, yet still hunger!

Temporal goods… once we obtain them,… we desire other things!

**

Glory; being well known and praised.

**

Power:able to rule over others?

Personal power: power to rule yourself..?

Good use of power : virtue !

The last end > preservation of the thing.

Our last end isn’t to preserve our human body… but to do something greater than ourselves. Thus to devote our life to devote to our body doesn’t make sense. Just to increase pleasure doesn’t make sense.

Riches of the soul over material goods.

All excess, pleasure has a bad ending.

Happiness : perfection of soul.


How can we actually use or employ something to our benefit ?

Men are happy via participation — via action?

Is happiness an operation ?

Can happiness be interrupted ?

Happiness as an operation…toward virtue? (Aristotle)


We desire… “supreme perfection”?

Continual…everlasting operation … happiness?

Contemplation of truth: contemplative and the active life?

United with “uncreated good”?

Bodily senses… “overflow” *overflow when we eat too much food…. our senses cannot process that much pleasure ?


The will is the “first mover”— is it?

We are happy when we have everything we want… and nothing is missing *** — I am happy because I have everything I want!

Happiness is “joy in truth” — happiness in joy from seeking truth?

“Joy itself is the consummation of happiness”

When you’re at peace.. having attained your last end ?

See the rest of your life; everything is upside! ***

Delight /enjoyment

“Practical intellect”

“Happiness is mans perfect good “

“Everlasting perfection of our joys”— contemplative life

**

Highest power: intellect

Highest good: the divine good

Happiness as action of perfect virtue.

Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding ; speculative science

“All men naturally desire to know”

“Happiness is mans final perfection “**

Wayfarer journeying towards happiness.

**

Delight : to charm

Do we need perfection of the mind and body?

“Happiness is the most self sufficient of all goods”

That which needs something else is not self sufficient ***

Delight; appetite in rest from the good attained

Delight in the notion of reward.

“Delight is the perfection of operation”

Delight in repose of will…

(**

Is it possible for one man to be happier than another man ?

Does every person really desire happiness ?


human action

What makes a human act?