Thomas Aquinas on the Existence of God, and Concept of Politics
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Date
2011-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Basically, Aquinas’s discussion of the concept of law enables us to understand
his treatment of politics. That is why I gave more emphasis on his concept of
law. In fact, the main factor why I brought the issue of the existence of God
into discussion in addition to Aquinas’s theory of politics is, as I have said in
the introductory part, because of Aquinas’s stance (stand point). That is, he
insists that the issue of God’s existence must come first with regard to the
concept of God and related issues. Accordingly, I brought his five ways into
discussion. In addition, his concept of free will is also part of his treatment of
politics.Aquinas argues that law is concerned with the common good rather than with
the good of the individual. Both Aristotle and Aquinas argue that all good laws
are considered good so long as they are enacted for the common good. That
means, the ruler should act for the good of the state; his law should aim at the
common good of the citizens. Accordingly, Aquinas insists that the basic
purpose of the state is to protect the common good. Likewise; law also has an
essential relation to reason. Aquinas’s basic argument, with regard to law and
reason, is that: “since actions are taken according to reason, that which guides
actions also must be taken according to reason.Aquinas recognizes not only one or two forms of law as modern philosophersdo. Rather he provides us with four main kinds of law: eternal law, natural law,human law, and divine law. Among these laws, he considers the first one as thehighest law. Natural law is the rational creature’s participation of the eternallaw; the eternal law as it applies to human beings. Aquinas considers the first
principles of the natural law as the same for everyone and known to all. In
other words, reason in man is capable of apprehending these first principles.
That means, our inclination to do good and avoid evil is derived by our
participation in the eternal law. These first principles of the natural law,
according to him, are: “Good is what all things seek,” and ‘Good is to be done
and promoted, and evil is to be avoided.” All other principles of natural law,
according to him, are dependent upon these first principles of natural law.
Whereas human laws are mutable, the first principles of the natural laws are
immutable since they cannot be abolished from the human heart. In fact
human law, according to Aquinas, refers man’s formulation of his own law in
order to apply natural law to the specific geographical, historical, and social
circumstances. The essential characteristics of human law are - it is derived
from the natural law, it is directed to the common welfare of the city, it should
be promulgated by the ruler of the community, and it is directive of human
actions. Aquinas also insists that human law does not punish who meditates
murder but does not commit it. This tells us, according to him, that human law
is not competent to judge the interior actions. So, we need another law that is
capable of judging both the interior and the exterior actions. And Aquinas calls
this law as divine law. With regard to free will, Aquinas insists that free will
distinguishes man from the animals because man is the master of his actions
through his reason and will. This Aquinas’s standpoint fits with Marx’s view of
freedom. According to Marx free will is peculiar to man. The being of free will is
man. Marx also insists that man by his volition (free will) adapts his
environment where as animals follow a predetermined pattern of behavior; a
behavior that adapts the environment (or nature) as it is without struggling to
alter it through volition
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Philosophy