Angelo Campodonico

Campodonico sottolinea l'equilibrato rapporto esistente, all'interno della metafisica dell'azione dell'Aquinate, tra intelletto e volontà e tra fine, oggetto e circostanze dell'atto (in base al principio "bonum ex integra causa"). Il fine della volontà comanda, in ultima analisi, l'atto, ma l'oggetto, come pure le conseguenze, non possono essere ignorate dall'intenzione buona. I rischi di dissociazione (morale della mera intenzione, da un lato, e casistica dall'altro) sono sempre connessi ad una concezione naturalistico-fisicistica dell'azione. L'etica di Tommaso è oggi in grado di rispondere armoniosamente ad istanze presenti nell'intuizionismo, nel kantismo, nell'utilitarismo e nell'etica della responsabilità.

This article proposes a conception of a Thomist-inspired Extended Wisdom Ethics that addresses contemporary demands. The "virtuous" circle of moral experience consists of several elements: a tendency towards the main goal, the first principles of moral law (seeds of virtues), and the roles of exemplars and the virtuous agent. We usually start by aiming at an ultimate goal, even if it is initially understood in a vague way. This highlights the motivating role of the goal. Thanks to the first principles of natural law, one can determine the end in a more detailed way. Without recognizing the primacy of the virtues of exemplars in action, whose comparison determines and specifies the ideal of fulfilment and its possibility of implementation, the precepts themselves would be a dead letter. The stronger the tendency towards the ultimate end is, the greater the awareness of the identity of the virtuous agent, and the greater the motivation and capacity to act morally here and now are.

Although fortitude is primarily about confronting the danger of death, it makes the brave person firm and constant in other situations as well. Fortitude acts directly on temperance and therefore indirectly on practical wisdom. But the lack of fortitude may also directly affect practical wisdom when dreadful aspects of life shock us. Fortitude operates on the capacity of practical wisdom to direct actions in context, judging with openness of mind and choosing and acting bravely. Practical wisdom acts on the irascible part of the soul aiming it toward the golden mean of fortitude and against both weakness of character and stubbornness. The phronimos must develop the virtue of fortitude. But this requires a strong motivation related to the answer to the question of happiness and the meaning of life. And this question is strictly related to the topic of recognition. All that suggests that the lack of or deficiency of fortitude may be one of the main causes of the transformation of the meaning of prudence from the virtue of moral decision,personal responsibility and risk to the virtue of those who are careful and avoid risks. Keywords: Practical wisdom; fortitude; virtues; Thomas Aquinas.

The title of the article is Tommaso d’Aquino nel Novecento. Riflessioni sui diritti umani, in Civiltà del Mediterraneo. Genesi, sviluppi e prospettive dei diritti umani in Europa e nel Mediterraneo. 26-28 ottobre 2004, vol. 8-9, Guida, Napoli 2006, pp. 227-243., then published in Angelo Campodonico, L’esperienza integrale. Filosofia dell’uomo, della morale e della religione I, Orthotes 2016, pp. 293-309. The article concerns the topic of the development of the idea of human rights from Thomas Aquinas, the Second Scholastic towards the Twentieth Century (in particular Jacques Maritain).