Living the Good Life presents a brief introduction to virtue and vice,
self-control and weakness, misery and happiness. The book contrasts the
thought of Aquinas with popular views, such as moral relativism, values
clarification, utilitarianism, Kantian deontology, and situation ethics.
Following the Socratic dictum ""know thyself,"" Steven J. Jensen
investigates the interior workings of the human mind, revealing the
interplay of reason, will, and emotions. According to Aquinas, in a
healthy ethical life, reason guides the emotions and will to the true
human good. In an unhealthy life, emotional impulses distort the vision
of reason, entrapping one in futile pursuits. In the human struggle to
gain self-mastery, a person must overcome the capricious desires that
enslave him to false goods. Jensen ably guides readers through Aquinas's
philosophy and explains the distinction between the moral and
intellectual virtues. The moral virtues train our various desires toward
the true good, helping us discard our misguided cravings and teaching us
to enjoy what is truly worth pursuing. The virtue of justice directs our
hearts to the good of others, freeing us from egoism in order to seek a
good shared with others. The intellectual virtues train the mind toward
the truth, so that we can find fulfillment in human understanding. Most
important, the virtue of prudence directs our deliberations to discover
the true path of life. Intended as a text for students, beginners of
philosophy will gain access to a key aspect of Aquinas's thought,
namely, that true happiness is realized not in the animal life of
passion and greed but only in the reasonable pursuit of human goods, in
which we find true peace and rest from the distractions of this world.
