Aquinas, Aristotle, and the Promise of the Common Good

Aquinas, Aristotle, and the Promise of the Common Good claims that contemporary theory and practice have much to gain from engaging Aquinas’s normative concept of the common good and his way of reconciling religion, philosophy, and politics. Examining the relationship between personal and common goods, and the relation of virtue and law to both, Mary M. Keys shows why Aquinas should be read in addition to Aristotle on these perennial questions. She focuses on Aquinas’s Commentaries as mediating statements between Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and Politics and, Aquinas’s own Summa Theologiae, showing how this serves as the missing link for grasping Aquinas’s understanding of Aristotle’s thought, in relation to Aquinas’s own considered views. Keys argues provocatively that Aquinas’s Christian faith opens up new panoramas and possibilities for philosophical inquiry and insights into ethics and politics. Her book shows how religious faith can assist sound philosophical inquiry into the foundation and proper purposes of society and politics. Cover......Page 1 Half-title......Page 3 Title......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Dedication......Page 7 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgments......Page 13 Part I Virtue, Law, and the Problem of the Common Good......Page 17 1 Why Aquinas?: Reconsidering and Reconceiving the Common Good......Page 19 1.1 The Promise and Problem of the Common Good: Contemporary Experience and Classical Articulation......Page 21 Rights Rhetoric and the Promise of the Common Good......Page 22 Religion, Realism, and the Problem of the Common Good......Page 25 Religion......Page 26 Utilitarianism as “Realism”......Page 28 1.2 Why Aquinas? Centrality of the Concept and Focus on Foundations......Page 31 Aquinas on the Common Good and Aristotle’s Foundations......Page 32 1.3 An Overview of the Argument by Parts and Chapters......Page 37 2 Contemporary Responses to the Problem of the Common Good: Three Anglo-American Theories......Page 45 2.1 Liberal Deontologism: Contractarian Common Goods in Rawls's Theory of Justice......Page 48 The Common Good of A Theory of Justice......Page 49 2.2 Communitarianism or Civic Republicanism: Sandel against Commonsense "Otherness"......Page 57 2.3 A Third Way? Galston on the Common Goods of Liberal Pluralism......Page 64 Value Pluralism and the Common Good......Page 69 Part II Aquinas's Social and Civic Foundations......Page 73 3.1 Aristotelianism and Political-Philosophic Foundations, Old and New......Page 75 3.2 Aristotle's Three Political-Philosophic Foundations in Thomas Aquinas's Thought......Page 79 3.3 The First Foundation and Aquinas's Commentary: Human Nature as "Political and Social" in Politics I......Page 83 Aquinas and “the Philosopher”......Page 86 Aquinas and Aristotle’s Politics: A Brief History......Page 90 Aquinas on Aristotle’s First Foundation in Politics I......Page 93 4 Reinforcing the Foundations: Aquinas on the Problem of Political Virtue and Regime-Centered Political Science......Page 103 Aristotle’s Second Foundation......Page 105 Aquinas’s Commentary on the Second Civic Foundation......Page 107 4.2 Faults in the Foundations: The Uncommented Politics and the Problem of Regime Particularity......Page 115 4.3 Politics Pointing beyond the Polis and the Politeia: Aquinas's New Foundations......Page 118 Aquinas's Own Foundations: Natural Law and the Inclination to Moral Virtue......Page 119 Natural Right and Natural Law: Aquinas’s “Tendentious Glosses” on Nicomachean Ethics V.7......Page 126 5 Finishing the Foundations and Beginning to Build: Aquinas on Human Action and Excellence as Social, Civic, and Religious......Page 132 5.1 Community, Common Good, and Goodness of Will......Page 134 5.2 Natural Sociability and the Extension of the Human Act......Page 140 5.3 Cardinal Virtues as Social and Civic Virtues – with a Divine Exemplar......Page 146 The Four Cardinal Virtues......Page 148 From Aristotle to the Platonists, Cicero, and Augustine......Page 149 Close Contenders for Cardinal Virtues......Page 155 Part III Moral Virtues at the Nexus of Personal and Common Goods......Page 157 6 Remodeling the Moral Edifice (I): Aquinas and Aristotelian Magnanimity......Page 159 6.1 Aristotle on Magnanimity as Virtue......Page 160 6.2 Aquinas's Commentary on the Magnanimity of the Nicomachean Ethics......Page 163 6.3 The Summa Theologiae on Magnanimity and Some "Virtues of Acknowledged Dependence"......Page 169 Gratitude......Page 172 Humility......Page 174 7 Remodeling the Moral Edifice (II): Aquinas and Aristotelian Legal Justice......Page 189 7.1 Aristotle on Legal Justice......Page 191 Aristotle’s Legal Justice......Page 192 7.2 Aquinas's Commentary on Legal Justice in the Nicomachean Ethics......Page 195 General Justice as a Specific Moral Virtue......Page 196 Legal Justice as Agent-Perfecting......Page 197 Political Regimes and the Problematic of Legal Justice......Page 198 Prioritizing the Common Good before the Law......Page 201 Natural Law and Aquinas’s Legal Justice......Page 204 The Dialectical Return to Human Law and Politics......Page 206 The End of the Dialectic: Equating Moral with Political Virtue?......Page 210 Defending the Moral Priority of Legal Justice......Page 212 Part IV Politics, Human law, and Transpolitical Virtue......Page 217 8 Aquina's Two Pedagogies: Human Law and the Good of Moral Virtue......Page 219 8.1 Aquinas's Negative Narrative, or How Law Can Curb Moral Vice......Page 221 8.2 Beyond Reform School: Law's Positive Pedagogy According to Aquinas......Page 224 8.3 Universality and Particularity, Law and Liberty......Page 232 8.4 Thomistic Legal Pedagogy and Liberal-Democratic Polities......Page 239 9 Theological Virtue and Thomistic Political Theory......Page 242 9.1 The Problematic Political Promotion of Theological Virtue......Page 244 9.2 Infused Moral Virtue and Civic Legal Justice......Page 250 9.3 Thomistic and Aristotelian Moderation for the Common Good......Page 252 Works Cited......Page 255 Index......Page 265 Cover 1 Half-title 3 Title 5 Copyright 6 Dedication 7 Contents 9 Acknowledgments 13 Part I Virtue, Law, and the Problem of the Common Good 17 1 Why Aquinas?: Reconsidering and Reconceiving the Common Good 19 1.1 The Promise and Problem of the Common Good: Contemporary Experience and Classical Articulation 21 Rights Rhetoric and the Promise of the Common Good 22 Religion, Realism, and the Problem of the Common Good 25 Religion 26 Utilitarianism as “Realism” 28 1.2 Why Aquinas? Centrality of the Concept and Focus on Foundations 31 Aquinas on the Common Good and Aristotle’s Foundations 32 1.3 An Overview of the Argument by Parts and Chapters 37 2 Contemporary Responses to the Problem of the Common Good: Three Anglo-American Theories 45 2.1 Liberal Deontologism: Contractarian Common Goods in Rawls's Theory of Justice 48 The Common Good of A Theory of Justice 49 2.2 Communitarianism or Civic Republicanism: Sandel against Commonsense "Otherness" 57 2.3 A Third Way? Galston on the Common Goods of Liberal Pluralism 64 Value Pluralism and the Common Good 69 Part II Aquinas's Social and Civic Foundations 73 3 Unearthing and Appropriating Aristotle's Foundations: From Three Anglo-American Theorists Back to Thomas Aquuinas 75 3.1 Aristotelianism and Political-Philosophic Foundations, Old and New 75 3.2 Aristotle's Three Political-Philosophic Foundations in Thomas Aquinas's Thought 79 3.3 The First Foundation and Aquinas's Commentary: Human Nature as "Political and Social" in Politics I 83 Aquinas and “the Philosopher” 86 Aquinas and Aristotle’s Politics: A Brief History 90 Aquinas on Aristotle’s First Foundation in Politics I 93 4 Reinforcing the Foundations: Aquinas on the Problem of Political Virtue and Regime-Centered Political Science 103 4.1 The Second Foundation and Aquinas's Commentary: Human Beings and Citizens in Politics III 105 Aristotle’s Second Foundation 105 Aquinas’s Commentary on the Second Civic Foundation 107 4.2 Faults in the Foundations: The Uncommented Politics and the Problem of Regime Particularity 115 4.3 Politics Pointing beyond the Polis and the Politeia: Aquinas's New Foundations 118 Aquinas's Own Foundations: Natural Law and the Inclination to Moral Virtue 119 Natural Right and Natural Law: Aquinas’s “Tendentious Glosses” on Nicomachean Ethics V.7 126 5 Finishing the Foundations and Beginning to Build: Aquinas on Human Action and Excellence as Social, Civic, and Religious 132 5.1 Community, Common Good, and Goodness of Will 134 5.2 Natural Sociability and the Extension of the Human Act 140 5.3 Cardinal Virtues as Social and Civic Virtues – with a Divine Exemplar 146 The Four Cardinal Virtues 148 From Aristotle to the Platonists, Cicero, and Augustine 149 Close Contenders for Cardinal Virtues 155 Part III Moral Virtues at the Nexus of Personal and Common Goods 157 6 Remodeling the Moral Edifice (I): Aquinas and Aristotelian Magnanimity 159 6.1 Aristotle on Magnanimity as Virtue 160 6.2 Aquinas's Commentary on the Magnanimity of the Nicomachean Ethics 163 6.3 The Summa Theologiae on Magnanimity and Some "Virtues of Acknowledged Dependence" 169 Gratitude 172 Humility 174 7 Remodeling the Moral Edifice (II): Aquinas and Aristotelian Legal Justice 189 7.1 Aristotle on Legal Justice 191 Aristotle’s Legal Justice 192 7.2 Aquinas's Commentary on Legal Justice in the Nicomachean Ethics 195 General Justice as a Specific Moral Virtue 196 Legal Justice as Agent-Perfecting 197 Political Regimes and the Problematic of Legal Justice 198 7.3 Legal Justice and Natural Law in the Summa Theologiae 201 Prioritizing the Common Good before the Law 201 Natural Law and Aquinas’s Legal Justice 204 The Dialectical Return to Human Law and Politics 206 The End of the Dialectic: Equating Moral with Political Virtue? 210 Defending the Moral Priority of Legal Justice 212 Part IV Politics, Human law, and Transpolitical Virtue 217 8 Aquina's Two Pedagogies: Human Law and the Good of Moral Virtue 219 8.1 Aquinas's Negative Narrative, or How Law Can Curb Moral Vice 221 8.2 Beyond Reform School: Law's Positive Pedagogy According to Aquinas 224 8.3 Universality and Particularity, Law and Liberty 232 8.4 Thomistic Legal Pedagogy and Liberal-Democratic Polities 239 9 Theological Virtue and Thomistic Political Theory 242 9.1 The Problematic Political Promotion of Theological Virtue 244 9.2 Infused Moral Virtue and Civic Legal Justice 250 9.3 Thomistic and Aristotelian Moderation for the Common Good 252 Works Cited 255 Index 265 Why Aquinas? : Reconsidering And Reconceiving The Common Good -- The Promise And Problem Of The Common Good : Contemporary Experience And Classical Articulation -- Why Aquinas? : Centrality Of The Concept And Focus On Foundations -- An Overview Of The Argument, By Parts And Chapters -- Contemporary Responses To The Problem Of The Common Good : Three Anglo-american Theories -- Liberal Deontologism : Contractarian Common Goods In Rawls's Theory Of Justice -- Communitarianism Or Civic Republicanism : Sandel Against Common-sense Otherness -- A Third Way? : Galston On The Common Goods Of Liberal Pluralism -- Unearthing And Appropriating Aristotle's Foundations : From Three Anglo-american Theorists Back To Thomas Aquinas -- Aristotelianism And Political-philosophic Foundations, Old And New -- Aristotle's Three Political-philosophic Foundations In Thomas Aquinas's Thought -- The First Foundation And Aquinas's Commentary : Human Nature As Political And Social In Politics -- Reinforcing The Foundations : Aquinas On The Problem Of Political Virtue And Regime-centered Political Science -- The Second Foundation And Aquinas's Commentary : Human Beings And Citizens In Politics -- Faults In The Foundations : The Uncommented Politics And The Problem Of Regime Particularity -- Politics Pointing Beyond The Polis And The Politeia : Aquinas's New Foundations -- Finishing The Foundations And Beginning To Build : Aquinas On Human Action And Excellence As Social, Civic, And Religious Community, Common Good, And Goodness Of Will -- Natural Sociability And The Extension Of The Human Act -- Cardinal Virtues As Social And Civic Virtues With A Divine Exemplar -- Remodeling The Moral Edifice : Aquinas And Aristotelian Magnanimity -- Aristotle On Magnanimity As Virtue -- Aquinas's Commentary On The Magnanimity Of The Nicomachean Ethics -- The Summa Theologiae On Magnanimity And Some Virtues Of Acknowledged Dependence -- Remodeling The Moral Edifice : Aquinas And Aristotelian Legal Justice -- Aristotle On Legal Justice -- Aquinas's Commentary On Legal Justice In The Nicomachean Ethics -- Legal Justice And Natural Law In The Summa Theologiae -- Aquinas's Two Pedagogies : Human Law And The Good Of Moral Virtue -- Aquinas's Negative Narrative, Or How Law Can Curb Moral Vice -- Beyond Reform School : Law's Positive Pedagogy Of Virtue According To Aquinas -- Universality And Particularity, Law And Liberty -- Thomistic Legal Pedagogy And Liberal-democratic Polities -- Theological Virtue And Thomistic Political Theory -- The Problematic Political Promotion Of Theological Virtue -- Infused Moral Virtue And Civic Legal Justice -- Thomistic And Aristotelian Moderation For The Common Good. Mary M. Keys. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 239-247) And Index. Aquinas, Aristotle, and the Promise of the Common Good claims that contemporary theory and practice have much to gain from engaging Aquinas s normative concept of the common good and his way of reconciling religion, philosophy, and politics. Examining the relationship between personal and common goods, and the relation of virtue and law to both, Mary M. Keys shows why Aquinas should be read in addition to Aristotle on these perennial questions. She focuses on Aquinas's Commentaries as mediating statements between Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Politics and Aquinas's own Summa Theologiae , showing how this serves as the missing link for grasping Aquinas's understanding of Aristotle's thought in relation to Aquinas's own considered views. Keys argues provocatively that Aquinas's Christian faith opens up new panoramas and possibilities for philosophical inquiry and insights into ethics and politics. Her book shows how religious faith can assist sound philosophical inquiry into the foundation and proper purposes of society and politics. Aquinas, Aristotle, and the Promise of the Common Good, first published in 2006, claims that contemporary theory and practice have much to gain from engaging Aquinas's normative concept of the common good and his way of reconciling religion, philosophy, and politics. Examining the relationship between personal and common goods, and the relation of virtue and law to both, Mary M. Keys shows why Aquinas should be read in addition to Aristotle on these perennial questions. She focuses on Aquinas's Commentaries as mediating statements between Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics and Politics and Aquinas's own Summa Theologiae, showing how this serves as the missing link for grasping Aquinas's understanding of Aristotle's thought. Keys argues provocatively that Aquinas's Christian faith opens up new panoramas and possibilities for philosophical inquiry and insights into ethics and politics. Her book shows how religious faith can assist sound philosophical inquiry into the foundation and proper purposes of society and politics. Claiming that contemporary theory and practice have much to gain from engaging Aquinas's normative concept of the common good (as well as his way of reconciling religion, philosophy, and politics), this book shows how religious faith can assist philosophical inquiry into the foundation and purposes of society and politics