St. Thomas And Locke Compare And Contrast
The world today is a combination, a blend of the two extremes fleshed out by the four authors we studied. St. Thomas and Locke display a world viewed through rose colored glasses. As much as people today want to believe that everyone exhibits behavior that Locke and St. Thomas consider good if they are left to their own devices with only laws to keep them in place, it is an unrealistic view of the world as we know it. In order for the world to run effectively, people have adopted a system closer to the societies Hobbes and Machiavelli described—one of safety under a sovereign ruler. People recognize the need to retain some fear to ensure that they are safe from other people. Most would rather give up some of their freedom for safety from central governance then attempt to fend for themselves because they know that although the world isn’t as chaotic as Hobbes and Machiavelli describe, it is not as peaceful as the world envisioned by St. Thomas and Locke.
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St.
Thomas believes that rational human beings first recognize the importance of preserving life to any extent. Additionally, to achieve rationality, humans must actively seek out all that preserves life, including undertaking what is necessary for survival and happiness. Third, St. Thomas emphasizes that knowledge is “acquired by the efforts of reason” (18). In order for humans to be rational, they must embrace the desire to learn and understand God, nature, and themselves. Locke proclaims that people are rational and that all men live in a state of equality so “men are perfectly free to order their actions…in any way they like…subject only to limits set by the law of nature” (3). Therefore, to be rational in the eyes of Locke, humans must follow the law of nature, and failure to follow this natural law results in a punishment to fit the crime. These authors describe a world where rationality permits happiness and freedom, but only to the extent that it is enjoyed within the natural
law.
For both authors, human rationality ties in closely with love, respect and goodness. Locke emphasizes that the equality of all men results in an “obligation to love one another” (3). Similarly, St. Thomas’ teachings highlight that preserving human life is a primary concern which results in actions based in love. Additionally, St. Thomas teaches that a rational person strives to gain knowledge about human nature, and the more somebody knows and understands other people, the easier it becomes to love and respect them. Goodness also is an integral part of rationality. Humans in St. Thomas’ and Locke’s worlds tend to be peaceful and loving, because of a strong correlation between their definition of reason, love, and goodness. St. Thomas especially connects goodness to reason believing that if people are rational, virtue follows naturally. He stresses “as far as human acts conduce to virtue, so far does law make men good” (32). Locke’s ideology agrees that goodness and virtue illuminates for others the way that you would like to be treated. Goodness and love, which naturally flow from rationality and are the natural character of human interaction, are central to the ideas of Locke and St. Thomas. Although rational humans possess love, respect and goodness, it is direction from law that controls the human propensity to sin. St. Thomas embraces the principal that “the purpose of human law is to lead men to virtue” (92). He emphasizes that “a law is nothing else but a dictate of practical reasoning” (12). Humans want to do good deeds, to be good people. Although they desire to be good, their nature supports an inclination to sin. Locke adds, “I may destroy a man who makes war on me or has revealed himself as an enemy to my life” (7). It is because of this conflicting tendency that fights occur. However, the guidance of law controls this struggle.
St.
Thomas believes that rational human beings first recognize the importance of preserving life to any extent. Additionally, to achieve rationality, humans must actively seek out all that preserves life, including undertaking what is necessary for survival and happiness. Third, St. Thomas emphasizes that knowledge is “acquired by the efforts of reason” (18). In order for humans to be rational, they must embrace the desire to learn and understand God, nature, and themselves. Locke proclaims that people are rational and that all men live in a state of equality so “men are perfectly free to order their actions…in any way they like…subject only to limits set by the law of nature” (3). Therefore, to be rational in the eyes of Locke, humans must follow the law of nature, and failure to follow this natural law results in a punishment to fit the crime. These authors describe a world where rationality permits happiness and freedom, but only to the extent that it is enjoyed within the natural
law.
For both authors, human rationality ties in closely with love, respect and goodness. Locke emphasizes that the equality of all men results in an “obligation to love one another” (3). Similarly, St. Thomas’ teachings highlight that preserving human life is a primary concern which results in actions based in love. Additionally, St. Thomas teaches that a rational person strives to gain knowledge about human nature, and the more somebody knows and understands other people, the easier it becomes to love and respect them. Goodness also is an integral part of rationality. Humans in St. Thomas’ and Locke’s worlds tend to be peaceful and loving, because of a strong correlation between their definition of reason, love, and goodness. St. Thomas especially connects goodness to reason believing that if people are rational, virtue follows naturally. He stresses “as far as human acts conduce to virtue, so far does law make men good” (32). Locke’s ideology agrees that goodness and virtue illuminates for others the way that you would like to be treated. Goodness and love, which naturally flow from rationality and are the natural character of human interaction, are central to the ideas of Locke and St. Thomas. Although rational humans possess love, respect and goodness, it is direction from law that controls the human propensity to sin. St. Thomas embraces the principal that “the purpose of human law is to lead men to virtue” (92). He emphasizes that “a law is nothing else but a dictate of practical reasoning” (12). Humans want to do good deeds, to be good people. Although they desire to be good, their nature supports an inclination to sin. Locke adds, “I may destroy a man who makes war on me or has revealed himself as an enemy to my life” (7). It is because of this conflicting tendency that fights occur. However, the guidance of law controls this struggle.