Treatise on Happiness by St. Thomas Aquinas Essay -- Treatise on Happi

In the history of the western world, few men have made a greater impact on humanity’s learning that Thomas of Aquino. Having written dozens of different publications, including his famous Summa Theologià ¦, on subjects varying from the angels to philosophy; from law to theology, Thomas has secured himself a permanent place in academic history. Although never writing directly on the subject, Thomas also influenced the field of ethics, especially through his â€Å"Treatise on Happiness,† which are found within his Summa. In these treatises, Thomas details the nature of happiness, and how happiness is obtained. In the field of ethics, this work is important because it embraces the Aristotelian ideal how a happy person is just, or ethical. Thomas embraces the ideas of Aristotle throughout his work, and goes on to comment on, and Christianize many of Aristotle’s original ideas, including how happiness affects our senses and faculties. One of the most interesting dev elopments in the â€Å"Treatises on Happiness† is the combination of the concepts of Aristotelian happiness, found in Nicomachean Ethics, and Augustinian idea that happiness is not available in this life. In this essay, I will highlight the importance of Thomas’ â€Å"Treatise on Happiness,† and recognize its importance in the context of philosophers who preceded Thomas, namely Aristotle. Before proceeding, it is important to recognize how Thomas defines happiness, and how this is contrasted with those philosophers who predated him. Aristotle wrote extensively on happiness in his Nicomachean Ethics, and argued that: â€Å"happiness is an exercise of the vital faculties in accordance with perfect virtue or excellence,† . In this, Aristotle means that happiness is the use of man’s reason, will... ... be used to practically move towards happiness. Works Cited Aristotle. Nicomachean Ethics, Translated by F.H. Peters, M.A. 5th ed. London: Kegan, Paul, Trench, Truebner & Co., 1893. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/903. Challoner, Richard., ed. The Douay-Rheims Bible. Douay: Kellah, 1750. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://www.drbo.org/ DeYoung, Rebecca Konyndyk, Colleen McCluskey, and Christian Van Dyke. Aquinas’s Ethics. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2009. Plato. The Republic, Translated by B. Jowett, M.A. 3rd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1888. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://oll.libertyfund.org/title/598. Thomas. Summa Theologià ¦, Translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province. New York: Benziger Bros., 1947. Accessed November 22, 2014. http://dhspriory.org/thomas/summa/index.html.