Right And Reason: Ethics Based on the Teachings of Aristotle & St. Thomas Aquinas

CONTENTS
1. ETHICS AS A STUDY
The Good Life, Origin of Ethics, What Ethics Studies, Relation to Other Studies, Ethics as a 
Science, The Emotive Theory, Ethics as an Art, Presuppositions of Ethics, Method of Ethics,  
Definition and Division of Ethics
2. THE GOOD
Problem, The End and the Good, Ethical Relativism, The Last End or Highest Good, One and the Same 
Last End, The Last End and Moral Goodness
3. HAPPINESS
Problem, Meaning  of  Happiness, All  Men  Seek  Happiness, Two  Views  of  Happiness,  Three 
Stages of the Question, Happiness, Man's Last End, Is Attainable, Questions on the Argument




4. PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Problem, Hedonism, Utilitarianism, Stoicism, Evolutionism, Process of Elimination, Goods of  
Fortune, Man Himself, Goods of Body, Goods of Soul, Knowledge, Virtue, Goods of Body and  Soul 
Together, Pleasure, Self-Realization, God, Synopsis, Positive Argument, Natural and  Supernatural 
Happiness, Questions and Remarks












5. THE HUMAN ACT
Problem, Conduct and the Last End, Human Acts, Psychological Background, Commanded Acts,  Ethical 
Constitution of the Human Act, Knowledge, Voluntariness, Freedom, Consequences of Voluntariness


















6. VOLUNTARINESS
Problem, Positive and Negative Voluntariness, Attention and Intention, Foreseen Consequences of 
Voluntary Acts, Modifiers of Voluntariness, Ignorance, Passion, Fear, Force, Habit
7. MORALITY
Problem,  Meaning  of  Morality,  The  State,  Custom,  What  is  Custom?  Some  Customs  Never
Abolished, Some Acts Never Customary, Divine Decree, Conclusions


8. THE NORM OF MORALITY
Problem, Meaning of a Norm, The Moral Sense Theory, Criticism, Right Reason, Setting Up the Norm, 
Human Nature Taken Completely, Proof for the Norm of Morality, Proximate Norm,  Ultimate Norm







9. SOURCES OF MORALITY
Problem, The  Act  Itself, The  Motive,  The  Circumstances,  Practical  Application,  Principle  
of Double Effect, Existence of Morally Indifferent Acts, Internal and External Act













10. LAW
Problem, Meaning of Law, Definition of Law, Law and Freedom, Kinds of Law


















11. NATURAL LAW
Eternal Law, Definition of Natural Law, Problems, Possibility of the Natural Law, Existence of the 
Natural Law, Knowledge of the Natural Law, Levels in the Knowledge of Natural Law,  Argument, 
Apparent Exceptions, Unchangeableness of the Natural Law, Questions on the Argument

























12. OBLIGATION AND SANCTION
Problem, Kant's Autonomous Morality, Criticism, True Nature of Obligation, All Obligation  Through 
Natural Law, Sanction, Imperfect Sanction in This Life, Perfect Sanction Hereafter, Gain  or Loss 
of Man's Last End
































13. CONSCIENCE
Problem, Meaning of Conscience, Deriving the Judgment of Conscience, Kinds of Conscience,  Always 
Obey a Certain Conscience, Never Act With a Doubtful Conscience, Forming One's  Conscience, Reflex 
Principles, The Morally Safer Course, A Doubtful Law, Systems of  Probability, Conclusion








































14. VIRTUE
Procedure,  Habit,   Virtue,   Intellectual  Virtues,   Moral  Virtues,   Cardinal  Virtues,   
Prudence,  Temperance, Fortitude, Justice













































15. RIGHTS AND DUTIES
Problems, Meaning of Right, Components of a Right, The Subject of a Right Can Be Only a  Person, 
The Term of a Right Must Also Be a Person, The Matter of a Right Can Never Be a  Person, The Title 
Is the Reason Why This Particular Concrete Right Exists, Natural Rights, The  State, Contract, 
Concept of Freedom, Custom, Proof for Natural Rights, Right and Might, Duties,  Conflict of Rights 
and Duties, Excuses From Duty






















































16. WORSHIP
Transition to Applied Ethics, Natural Religion, Divine Worship, Problem, Obligation to Worship,


Interior and Exterior Worship, Civic Worship, Answers to Objections, Vices Opposed to Religion,  
Natural Law and Revelation





17. LIFE
Problem, Suicide, Suicide Is Against the Natural Law, Questions on the Argument, Murder,  
Euthanasia, Feticide and Abortion, Opposing Arguments,  Self-Defense,  Conditions  of  a  Blameless 
Self-Defense, Why Self-Defense Is Lawful, Unintentional Aggression,  Goods  Equivalent to Life












18. HEALTH AND SAFETY
Problem, Risk to Life, Care of Health, Mutilation, Sterilization

















19. TRUTHFULNESS
Problem, Meaning of a Lie, Conventionality of Speech, Lying and Deception, Wrongness  of Lying, 
Questions on the Arguments, Secrets, Why We Must Keep Secrets, Extent of This Duty,  Mental 
Reservation, Conclusion
























20. JUSTICE AND CONTRACTS
Problem, Justice in Human Acts, Nature of a Contract, Validity of Contracts, Contracting Parties,  
Matter of a Contract, Mutual Consent





























21. CHARITY
Problem, Love and Hate, Enmity and Forgiveness, Aid in Distress, Scandal, Cooperation in Evil


































22. SOCIETY
Problem, Why Men Live in Society, Society Natural to Man, Definition of Society, The Common Good, 
Kinds of Society, Authority Essential to Society, Source of Authority







































23. THE FAMILY
Domestic Society, Marriage, Problem, Marriage a Natural Institution; Remarks on the Argument,  
Primary and Secondary Ends of Marriage, Birth Control, Properties of Marriage,  Polygamy,  Divorce, 
The Marriage Contract, Conclusion














































24. THE STATE
Problems, Natural Origin Theory, Plato, Aristotle, Restatement of Aristotle's Argument, Social  
Contract Theory, Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, Criticism of the Social Contract, Self-Sufficiency and  
Sovereignty, The State and the Person, Structure of the State





















































25. GOVERNMENT
Problems, Recipient of Authority, Divine Right of Kings, Theory of Popular Consent, Patriarchal 
Theory,  Judgment  on   These  Opinions,   Forms   of   Government,   Government   Interference,


Definition of the State




26. CIVIL LAW
Problems, Need for Positive Law, The Law of Nations, Obligation of Civil Law, Purely Penal  Laws, 
Punishment, Basis of Punishment, Capital Punishment, Taxation, Protection of  Citizens'  Freedoms, 
Free Speech, Freedom of Conscience, Rebellion and Revolution










27. EDUCATION
Problem,  Parents'  Primary  Right,  Rights  of  State  and  Church,  Schools,  Academic  Freedom,  
Teacher's Relations to Pupils, To Parents, To the School, To the Community
















28. PROPERTY
Problem, Ownership, Property as Sustenance, Theft, Economic Systems, Private Property as an  
Economic System, The Jus Gentium Basis for Private Property, The Natural Law Basis for Private  
Property























29. TITLES TO PROPERTY
Problem, Property Titles, Occupancy, Labor, Gift, Trade, Inheritance, Accession, Prescription,  
Property Contracts, Buying and Selling, The Just Price, Monopoly, Partnership, Interest, Contracts 
of Chance





























30. WORK AND WAGES
Problem, The  Wage  System, Minimum  Just  Wage, Employment,  Labor  Unions,  Strikes,  The Direct 
Strike, The Sympathetic Strike, The General Strike, Lockouts and Boycotts, Conclusion



































31. COMMUNISM AND SOCIALISM
Problem, History of Utopian Schemes, Explanation of Marxism, Philosophy: Dialectical  Materialism, 
History: Economic Determinism, Economics: Surplus-Value, Sociology: Progressive  Pauperization, 
Politics: The Revolution, Evaluation of Marxism, Criticism of Dialectical  Materialism, Criticism 
of Economic Determinism, Criticism of Surplus-Value, Criticism of  Progressive Pauperization, 
Criticism of the Revolution, Socialism, Conclusion












































32. SOCIAL ORDER
Problem, Attitudes Toward Economic Life, Competition and Cooperation, Class Antagonism and 
Solidarity, Statism and Subsidiarity, Bigness and Decentralization, Technology and Leisure,  
Conclusion


















































33. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Problem, History, Definition, Is International Law Really Law? States Are Bound by the Natural Law, 
International Justice, Independence, Entirety, Property, Colonization, Free Action, Treaties,  
International Good Will, Nationalism, Intervention, Conclusion

34. WAR
Problem, St. Augustine on Peace, St. Thomas on War, Definition of War, War Not Intrinsically  
Wrong, Conditions of a Just War, Lawful Authority, Just Cause, Right Intention, Right Use of  
Means, Conclusion
35. PEACE
History, Problem, International Organization Is Necessary, Limitation of Sovereignty, Conclusion
BIBLIOGRAPHY