Summary

5.1. Realized that All Actions Have Consequences

A. Aristotle The Power of Violation

For Aristotle, a human being is rational. Reason is divine characteristics. Humans have the spark of the
divine. If there were no intellect, there would be no will. Reason can legislate, but only through will can
its legislation be translated into action.

The will of humanity is an instrument of free choice.

Action

Will

Reason

Figure 5.1. Aristotle: Intellectual Freedom

Reason, Will and Action drives each other.

B. St. Thomas Aquinas Love is Freedom

St. Thomas Aquinas considers the human being as a moral agent.

Through our spirituality, we have a conscience. Whether we choose to be good or evil becomes
our responsibility.

Aquinas gives fourfold classification of law:

Eternal Law is the decree of God that governs all creation.

Human Law
Natural Law is the human participation in the eternal law and is discovered by reason.
Divine Law

St. Thomas emphasizes the freedom of humanity but chooses love in governing humanitys life. Since
God is Love, then Love is the guiding principle of humanity toward his self-perception and happiness
his ultimate destiny.

C. St. Thomas Aquinas - Spiritual Freedom

Actions
(Good or Evil)

Conscience

Gods
Love

Figure 5.2. Spiritual Freedom

St. Thomas Aquinas establishes the existence of God as a first cause. Of all Gods creations, human beings have
the unique power to change themselves and things around them for the better. As humans, we are both
material and spiritual. We have a conscience because of our spirituality. God is Love and Love is our destiny
D. Jean Paul Sartre: Individual Freedom

Sartres philosophy is considered to be a representative of existentialism.

For Sartre, the human person is the desire to be God: the desire to exist as a being which has its
sufficient ground in itself (en sui causa).

Sartres existentialism stems for this principle: existence precedes essence.

The person is provided with a supreme opportunity to give meaning to ones life.

Authentic existence is realized only in deeds that are committed alone, in absolute freedom and
responsibility and which, therefore, the character of true creation.

The person is what one has done and is doing.

The human person who tries to escape obligations and strives to be en-soi is acting on bad faith
(mauvais foi)

Sartre emphasizes the importance of free individual choice, regardless of the power of other people to
influence and coerce our desires, beliefs and decisions. To be human, to be conscious, is to be free
imagine, free to choose, and be responsible for ones life.

E. Thomas Hobbes: Theory of Social Contract