A Study On Thomas Aquinas’ S Theology And Political Ethics

Thomas Aquinas is considered to be one of the greatest thinkers in the history of philosophy,and is most famous for his attempts to interpret and expound Aristotelian philosophy within a Christian framework.His political philosophy thoroughly reflects this Christian Aristotlelianism,where man has an end designated by God,operating through nature,and the ultimate purpose of political institutions is to enable man to reach this end.Breaking with the traditional Augustinian view of political institutions as a result of man’s s i n fullness,Aquinas argued that man was by nature a political animal,both because he had natural impulses to gather with others of his kind and discuss political concepts such as justice and right,and because political institutions could best create the conditions that man needed to reach his end of a life of virtue.Because politics is vested with the purpose of man’s moral development,political freedom for Aquinas therefore becomes associated with the regime which leads man to his own good – that is,to a life of rational,virtuous action.Political ethics first pay attention to the research object,that is,the subject of political ethics.Undoubtedly,this "object" and "subject" are people.As the most basic rational unit,in Aquinas’ view,man shares God’s rationality,and at the same time demonstrates this rationality in the mortal community life.God is the end of this world,from which all things come and go.The foundation of the community is "good" and its opposite "evil".He advocates that people should pursue honor and repent for the evil they have done.Only by sincerely repenting to God can we achieve happiness."Subject" and "Idea" are the basis of political ethics,and ultimately serve the system and practice of political ethics.Practice is the ultimate carrier of political ethics,and practice is the means of whether and how political ideas can be applied.The system guarantee this process.Aquinas believed that in social life,individual interests should be subordinated to public interests,and these should ultimately be guaranteed by "law".