Aquinas on Virtue

One of the strengths of this work is the author’s ability to address the two divergent, yet interconnected, spheres of medieval and contemporary moral theology without inadvertently doing any injustice to either or convoluting his lines of argument—a risk explicitly noted in his introduction. Austin succeeds in providing a holistic causal analysis of virtue that is conversant with the concerns of contemporary society.

[Austin’s] interpretations are always insightful, and at their best, illuminating and persuasive. On his showing, seemingly abstruse metaphysical concepts are relevant, and sometimes indispensable to making sense of a wide range of issues in Aquinas and moral thought generally. His causal analysis of the relation of the virtues to the passions, and the role of the passions in rational deliberation, struck this reviewer as especially illuminating… . This is a valuable book that deserves widespread attention, by moral theorists as well as students of Aquinas.

A fresh look at Thomas Aquinas’s treatment of virtue … A welcome contribution to the ongoing conversation on virtue ethics.

An elegant, thoughtful examination of Aquinas’ virtue ethic.

Austin fulfills his intention to make Aquinas’s understanding of virtue more intelligible for modern man by means of a causal analysis. He amply shows how Aquinas’s virtue theory is neither univocal nor reductionistic, but rather, capable of dialogue with modern perspectives, while nevertheless, penetrating deeper than modern theories.

A compelling study that will offer scholars and theologians a bold new interpretation of Aquinas’s virtue theory … A masterpiece of deliberative scholarship.

This book is a positive pleasure to read: always clear, teacherly, and admirably nonpartisan…This sophisticated introduction to Aquinas’ theory of virtue moves Aquinas studies in just the right direction.

Austin has done proponents of virtue ethics a great service by providing a clear, concise, and contemporary guide to Aquinas’ virtue theory.

Nicholas Austin, SJ, teaches theological ethics at Heythrop College, University of London. He is the author of several book chapters, essays, and articles.