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Summa Theologiae with Reference to Contemporary Psychological Studies

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Summa Theologiae with Reference to Contemporary Psychological Studies Concept of Happiness in Summa Theologiae with Reference to Contemporary Psychological Studies Von der Fakultät für Geisteswissenschaften der Universität Duisburg-Essen zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Doktor der Philosophie (Dr. phil.) genehmigte Dissertation von Jaison Ambadan Chacko Ambadan aus Areekamala, Kerala, Indien Erster Gutachter: Prof. Dr. Ralf Miggelbrink Zweiter Gutachter : Prof. Dr. Markus Tiwald Vorsitzender des Prüfungsausschusses: Prof. Dr. Neil Roughley Tag der Disputation: 02.07.2018 1 Concept of Happiness in Summa Theologiae with Reference to Contemporary Psychological Studies General Introduction 6 Chapter I The Ethical Perspective of Happiness in Aquinas´s Concept of Human Acts Introduction 27 1. Human Acts 31 1.1 Voluntary 52 1.2 Involuntary 53 1.3 Circumstances 54 1.3.1 Nature of Circumstance 55 1.3.2 Role Circumstances in Moral Evaluation 56 1.4 Cognitive Participation 57 1.4.1 Three Acts of the Speculative Intellect 58 1.4.2 Three Acts of the Practical Intellect 60 1.5 The Will 62 1.5.1 Cause of the Movement of the Will 62 1.5.2 Manner in which the Will Moves 63 1.5.3 Characteristics of the Act of the Will 64 1.5.3.1 Enjoyment 65 1.5.3.2 Intention 65 1.5.3.3 Choice 67 1.5.3.4 Counsel 68 1.5.3.5 Consent 68 1.5.3.6 Use 69 1.6 Human Acts Commanded by the Will 70 1.6.1 Good and Evil in Human Acts 71 1.6.2 Goodness and Malice in Human Acts 72 1.6.3 Impact of the Interior Act 75 1.6.4 Impact of the External Act 76 1.6.5 Impact of Disposition 77 Conclusion 79 2 Chapter II Thomas Aquinas´s Cognition of Passion and Happiness Introduction 82 2. Passions 84 2.1 The Meaning of Aquinas´s Account of Passion 85 2.1.1 The Appetitive Power in General 87 2.1.1.1 Passion: A Movement of the Sense Appetite 89 2.1.1.2 Powers of Sensory Apprehension 91 2.1.1.3 The Role of Cogitative Power 93 2.1.1.4 Sensitive versus Natural Appetite 94 2.1.1.5 Sensitive versus Rational Appetite 95 2.1.1.6 The Priority of Good to Evil 96 2.1.2 The Nature of Passion 97 2.1.2.1 Apprehension and Intentionality 99 2.1.2.2 Objects of Passions 101 2.1.2.3 Sensation and Imagination 103 2.1.2.4 Estimative and Memorative Powers 104 2.1.2.5 The Role of the Particular Reason 106 2.2 The Structure of Passions 107 2.2.1 The Concupiscible Passions 108 2.2.1.1 Love as a Passion 109 2.2.1.2 Hatred as a Passion 113 2.2.1.3 Desire as a Passion 115 2.2.1.4 Aversion as a Passion 116 2.2.1.5 Pleasure as a Passion 117 2.2.1.6 Sorrow as a Passion 123 2.2.1.7 Concupiscence as a Passion 126 2.2.1.8 Delight as a Passion 127 2.2.2 The Irascible Passions 128 2.2.2.1 Hope and Despair 129 2.2.2.2 Daring, Fear and Anger 133 2.3 The Passions and Happiness 136 2.3.1 The Spiritual and Animal Side of Human Nature 138 2.3.2 Passion and Temptation 139 2.3.3 Emotion and Discernment 141 Conclusion 142 3 Chapter III The Ethical Perspective of Happiness in Internal and External Principles of Human Act. Introduction 144 3. Ethical Perspective of Human Act 145 3.1 Orientation of Human Act 146 3.1.1 Human Being and Human Action 147 3.1.2 Virtue and Passion 148 3.1.3 Goodness of Human Action 149 3.2 Role of Internal Principles of Human Act 151 3.2.1 Nature of Habitus 151 3.2.2 The Relevance of Formation of Habits 153 3.2.3 Function of Virtue in Human Act 160 3.2.3.1 Role of Theological Virtue 162 3.2.3.1.1 Effect of Faith in Human Act 163 3.2.3.1.2 Impact of Hope in Human Act 165 3.2.3.1.3 Bearing of Charity in Human Act 167 3.2.3.2 The Role of Moral Virtues in Human Act 170 3.2.3.2.1 Influence of Prudence in Human Act 170 3.2.3.2.2 Impact of Justice in Human Act 172 3.2.3.2.3 The Meaning of Fortitude in Human Act 173 3.2.3.2.4 The Meaning of Temperance in Human Act 175 3.2.4 Sin and Vice in General 175 3.2.4.1 Distinctions among Sins 177 3.2.4.2 Causes of Sin 178 3.2.4.3 Consequence of Sin 180 3.3 Role of External Principles of Human Act 182 3.3.1 The Principle of Law 183 3.3.1 Eternal Law 184 3.3.2 Natural Law 185 3.3.3 Human law 187 3.3.4 Divine law 189 3.3.2 Influence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit 190 3.3.2.1 Beatitude and the Fruits 191 3.3.2.2 The Necessity of Grace 193 3.3.2.3 Grace and Human Act 194 Conclusion 196 4 Chapter IV The Psychological Perspective of Happiness Introduction 198 4. Psychology of Happiness 198 4.1 Broad Assessment of Happiness 199 4.1.1 The Meaning of the Word Happiness 204 4.1.2 Influencing factors of Happiness 205 4.1.3 Living Conditions of Happiness 208 4.1.4 Happiness and Wellbeing 209 4.2 Positive Attitude 210 4.2.1 The Scope of Positive Attitude 211 4.2.2 Building Positive Attitudes 212 4.2.2.1 The Resilience Training 213 4.2.2.2 Renewing Strength and Virtue 214 4.2.2.3 Optimism and Pessimism 215 4.2.2.4 Acquiring Optimism 217 4.3 Appreciating the Level of Happiness 217 4.3.1 Pleasure or Pain 218 4.3.2 Desire and Reason 219 4.3.3 The Equilibrium Level of Wellbeing 220 4.3.4 Cognitive Assumption 221 4.3.5 Affective Analysis 222 4.3.6 Transforming Oneself 223 4.4 The Trend of Psychology in Summa 224 4.4.1 The Virtue Theory and Human Habits 225 4.4.2 The Normative Understanding of Nature and Natural Law 226 4.4.3 Flourishing or Eudemonic Happiness 227 4.4.4 Animating Principle of Life 229 4.4.5 Affections of the Will 230 4.4.6 Immateriality and Immortality 231 4.4.7 Thomastic Dualism 232 Conclusion 234 5 Chapter V The Multidimensional Perspective of Perfect Happiness Introduction 236 5 The Nature of Happiness 237 5.1 The Desire for Happiness 238 5.1.1Pleasure Centred 239 5.1.1.1 Stimulus Synchronized 240 5.1.1.2 Wealth Synchronised 241 5.1.1.3 Aridity in Materialistic Pleasure 242 5.1.2 Ego Centred 242 5.1.2.1 Superman Feeling 244 5.1.2.2 Vacillating Ambivalence 244 5.1.2.3 Subjugated Fiasco 244 5.1.3 Charity Centred 245 5.1.3.1 Empathetic Altruism 247 5.1.3.2 Affective Cognition 247 5.1.3.3 Faith and Charity 248 5.1.4 Transcendent 250 5.1.4.1The Transcendent Search for Perfection 251 5.1.4.2 Physical and Intellectual Transcendence 252 5.1.4.3 Transcendent Spiritual Domain 252 5.1.4.4 Contemplative Prayer 253 5.2 Enabling into Happiness 254 5.2.1 Understanding Existential Emptiness 255 5.2.2 Resisting Passivity of Appetite 256 5.2.3 Eliminating Cosmic Loneliness 257 5.2.4 Sublime Relationship 258 5.3 Replacement Therapy 260 5.3.1 Strengthening Kinetic Force 261 5.3.2 The Incompetent Nature of Unhappiness. 262 5.3.3 Knowing Unhappiness 263 5.4 Virtue and Happiness 264 5.4.1 Wellbeing and Happiness 266 5.4.2 Practice of Virtue 268 5.4.3 Active Use of Faculties 271 5.4.4 Mean of Human Act 272 5.5 Contemplation 273 Conclusion 277 General Conclusion 279 Bibliography 285 6 General Introduction Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274)1 is one of the greatest thinkers in Western philosophy and theology. He is even called the angelic Doctor by the Roman Catholic Church. One of his marvelous works is Summa Theologiae which is the primary source of my research to understand the concept of happiness in Summa Theologiae with reference to contemporary psychological studies. Aquinas was a Dominican monk, philosopher, theologian, saint and contemplator, and continues to be important and significant in particular for students of philosophy and theology. Pope Paul VI says that `in order that the students may illumine the mysteries of salvation as completely as possible, they should learn to penetrate them more deeply with the help of speculation, under the guidance of Aquinas, and to perceive their interconnections´2. It is also concern of the church regarding studies in schools and universities that by their very constitution individual subjects be pursued according to their own principles, method, and liberty of scientific inquiry, in a way that an ever deeper understanding in these fields may be obtained and that, as questions that are new and current are raised and investigations carefully made according to the example of the doctors of the Church and especially of Aquinas, so that there may be a deeper realization of the harmony of faith and reason.3 Aquinas constructs a vast system of integrating Greek philosophy with the Christian faith in his masterpiece Summa Theologiae.
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