Three Explanatory Notes to the Concept of Pleasure in Thomas Aquinas

Abstract

The objective of these pages is to briefly think over three aspects relative to Thomas Aquinas’ doctrine of pleasure namely, if pleasure is perhaps the most important passion of the human being; which particular characteristics does it have to distinguish it from other passions; and which is its fundamental role to moral in general, and happiness’ doctrine, in particular. The hypothesis we will try to prove in this essay is that if we do not understood correctly (or if we overlook ) the doctrine of pleasure as an indispensable element to typify morality of human acts, we risk not comprehending neither the moral Thomism approach nor even that of a Christian philosophy.