Sin: A Thomistic Psychology

by Steven J. Jensen

If the human soul is made for good, then how do we choose evil? On the other hand, perhaps the human soul is not made for good. Perhaps the magnitude of human depravity reveals that the human soul may directly choose evil. Notably, Thomas Aquinas rejects this explanation for the prevalence of human sin. He insists that in all our desires we seek what is good. How, then, do we choose evil? Only by mistaking evil for good. This solution to the difficulty, however, leads Aquinas into another conundrum. How can we be held responsible for sins committed under a misunderstanding of the good? The sinner, it seems, has simply made an intellectual blunder. Sin has become an intellectual defect rather than a depravity of will and desire. A Thomistic Psychology grapples with these difficulties. A solution to the problem must address a host of issues. Does the ultimate good after which we all strive have unity, or is it simply a collection of basic goods? What is venial sin? What momentous choice must a child make in his first moral act? In what way do passion, a habitually evil will, and ignorance cause human beings to sin? What is the first cause of moral evil? Do human beings have free will to determine themselves to particular actions? The discussion of these topics focuses upon the interplay of reason, will, and the emotions, examining the inner workings of our moral deliberations. Ultimately, the book reveals how the failure to maintain balance in our deliberations subverts our fidelity to the one true good.

336 pages, Paperback

Published June 8, 2018

About the author

Steven J. Jensen is the author of Sin: A Thomistic Psychology; Knowing the Natural Law: From Precepts and Inclinations to Deriving Oughts; Living the Good Life: A Beginner's Thomistic Ethics and Good and Evil Actions: A Journey Through Saint Thomas Aquinas (all CUA Press).

Reviews

[K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to post a longer review at some point. This book is actually very useful for Protestants, because the Catholic conception of sin is more opposed to Protestantism than many think. For that reason, it will receive short shrift among many. It's also important to realize that this as a Thomistic psychology, not a commentary on Aquinas's doctrine of sin, though there is a lot of engagement with Aquinas.