Interior & exterior acts Flashcards
What is an exterior act according to Aquinas?
An exterior act is a physical action that occurs outside of our mind.
How does Aquinas define an interior act?
An interior act, according to Aquinas, is what we deliberately choose to do, occurring inside our mind.
What is the point of natural law ethics according to Aquinas?
The point of natural law ethics is to figure out what fulfills the telos of our nature and act on that, ultimately glorifying God.
Why does Aquinas emphasize the importance of intention in moral actions?
Aquinas asserts that a good exterior act without a good interior act does not glorify God because it lacks the intention of fulfilling the God-given goal/telos of our nature.
Provide an example of how intention affects the morality of an action according to Aquinas.
The act of giving money to charity is an example of a good exterior act, but it is morally good only when combined with the right kind of intention, such as genuinely seeking to fulfill the God-given telos of our nature. If the intention behind the action was solely to be thought of as a good person, it would not be considered morally good by Aquinas.
