Monday, April 12, 2010

1a 2ae q24 a2: Whether every passion of the soul is evil morally? No.

Non passiones dicuntur morbi vel perturbationes animae, nisi cum carent moderatione rationis, quia passiones animae, inquantum sunt praeter ordinem rationis, inclinant ad peccatum; inquantum autem sunt ordinatae a ratione, pertinent ad virtutem.

Passions are not called "diseases" or "disturbances" of the soul, save when they are not controlled by formal aspect, because the passions of the soul, insofar as they are contrary to the order of formal aspect, incline us to sin; but insofar as they are controlled by formal aspect, they pertain to virtue.

Circa hanc quaestionem diversa fuit sententia Stoicorum et Peripateticorum, nam Stoici dixerunt omnes passiones esse malas; Peripatetici vero dixerunt passiones moderatas esse bonas. Quae quidem differentia, licet magna videatur secundum vocem, tamen secundum rem vel nulla est, vel parva, si quis utrorumque intentiones consideret.

On this question the opinion of the Stoics differed from that of the Peripatetics, for the Stoics held that all passions are evil; while the Peripatetics maintained that moderate passions are good. This difference, although it appears great in words, is nevertheless, in reality, none at all, or but little, if we consider the intent of either school.