Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life
Abstract: The notion of contemplation as the goal of life is, it seems, as old as philosophy itself. Already Anaxagoras, when asked why he was in the world, replied, «To contemplate » (eis theorian)'. So too, both Plato and Aristotle placed man's highest fulfillment in contemplative act...
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| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | Español |
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Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras
2021
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| Acceso en línea: | https://repositorio.uca.edu.ar/handle/123456789/12839 |
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I33-R139123456789-12839 |
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dspace |
| institution |
Universidad Católica Argentina |
| institution_str |
I-33 |
| repository_str |
R-139 |
| collection |
Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA) |
| language |
Español |
| topic |
VIRTUDES MORALES CONTEMPLACION VOLUNTAD |
| spellingShingle |
VIRTUDES MORALES CONTEMPLACION VOLUNTAD Gallagher, David M. Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| topic_facet |
VIRTUDES MORALES CONTEMPLACION VOLUNTAD |
| description |
Abstract: The notion of contemplation as the goal of life is, it seems, as old as philosophy
itself. Already Anaxagoras, when asked why he was in the world, replied, «To contemplate
» (eis theorian)'. So too, both Plato and Aristotle placed man's highest fulfillment
in contemplative activity, that activity which, more than any other, shared
in the divine. No less did Thomas Aquinas —within the Christian tradition— accept
that view, adding to the philosophical the evangelical dictum that Mary had
chosen the better part. And yet, both philosophers as well as Christians also pointed
to moral action as essential to a fulfilled human life, as being in some way the
goal of our lives. Socrate's urging to the philosophical life in no way lessened his demand
for justice; Aristotle postulated a secondary happiness, one based on the moral
virtues; and Aquinas, while placing man's end in contemplation, also points to
the rectitude of the will as its necessary prerequisite.
It is this relationship of the moral life —understood as the activities of the moral
virtues— to contemplation that forms the theme of this article. In the context of St.
Thomas, I wish briefly to examine 1) how the moral life points to a human fulfillment
beyond itself; 2) in what way the moral virtues remove certain obstacles to
contemplation; and finally, 3) in what way the moral virtues provide the rectitude of
the will required for the contemplative life. |
| format |
Artículo |
| author |
Gallagher, David M. |
| author_facet |
Gallagher, David M. |
| author_sort |
Gallagher, David M. |
| title |
Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| title_short |
Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| title_full |
Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| title_fullStr |
Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| title_sort |
moral virtue and contemplation : a note on the unity of the moral life |
| publisher |
Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras |
| publishDate |
2021 |
| url |
https://repositorio.uca.edu.ar/handle/123456789/12839 |
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AT gallagherdavidm moralvirtueandcontemplationanoteontheunityofthemorallife |
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Repositorios |
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