The Thomistic Institute The Goodness of the Common Good | Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau O.P.
Aug 8, 2019
Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau O.P., a Dominican friar, delves into the concept of the common good by exploring Aquinas's perspective on justice, defending Sir Walter Eddington's philosophy, and analyzing the intersection between the common good and personalism. The discussion highlights the objective nature of the common good and the balance between individualism and community well-being.
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Personhood Is Inherently Political
- Aquinas sees the person always embedded in a network of relations, so justice operates toward individuals, the polis, and between persons.
- This framework explains legal, distributive, and commutative justice as tied to the individual's role in the political community.
De Koninck Defends Common Good Against Personalists
- Charles de Koninck wrote 'The Primacy of the Common Good' to challenge contemporary personalists who elevated individual primacy over communal goods.
- He argued some personalists risked instrumentalizing the common good similarly to Marxist or totalitarian tendencies.
Swiss Teens Doubt External Goods Exist
- A Swiss high school teacher told Fr. Aquinas Guilbeau the hardest part is convincing teens an objective good exists outside their will.
- By 15–16 many students believe goods are only good once chosen, posing a teaching challenge.