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Aquinas on Fear. Dr. Michael K. Green. Passions. Passions regarding evils or harms Sorrows—present evils Fear—future evils Passion directed toward the future Hope—future good, difficult ,but possible to obtain Desire for good
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Aquinas on Fear Dr. Michael K. Green
Passions • Passions regarding evils or harms • Sorrows—present evils • Fear—future evils • Passion directed toward the future • Hope—future good, difficult ,but possible to obtain • Desire for good • Fear—future evil, difficult, and irresistible (unavoidable, not easy to avoid)
Fear • Avoidance of evil • an evil to come • near at hand • difficult to avoid
Fear • Suddenness • fear of a future evil is diminished by thinking about it beforehand • deprive him of the remedies with which he might otherwise provide himself to forestall the coming evil
Fear • Causes of fear • In respect to its object: Love causes fear • it is through his loving a certain good, that whatever deprives a man of that good is an evil to him, and that consequently he fears it as an evil. • In respect to the subject: Person is fearful • owing to some lack of power that one is unable easily to repulse a threatening evil. • Power of thing feared surpasses the power of him that fears • Element of uncontrollability • Extrinsic cause • Can be repelled, but with difficulty • greatness of the evil • the weakness of him who fears
Fear • Hoped for may be both from an intrinsic and from an extrinsic cause • Fear from an extrinsic cause
Fear • Types • Corruptive fear—shrinks from something on account of that thing’s natural desire to exist • Natural • Natural death, sickness, etc. • No fear when • Object is remote and far off • Object is inevitable, wherefore we look upon it as already present • Non-Natural • murder • Painful fear—shrinks from something that opposes one’s appetites
Fear • Evil in action • Laziness—fear of the toil that burdens his nature • Shame—fear of a action that will create disgrace that damages him in the opinion of others • Shamefacedness—future action • Shame—action already done
Fear • Evil in external things • Amazement—a great evil the outcome of which he is unable to gauge • amazement is a beginning of philosophical research • Stupor—some unwonted evil arises before us, and on that account is great in our estimation • stupor is a hindrance to philosophical research • Anxiety—unforeseen future misfortunes
Fear • whatever tends to increase evil, conduces to the increase of fear • Now those evils which, after they have come, cannot be remedied at all, or at least not easily, are considered as lasting for ever or for a long time: for which reason they inspire the greatest fear.
Fear • fear implies an avoidance of evil • shunned because it deprives one of the good that one pursues through love thereof • whatever increases a man's power, is of a nature to increase hope • experience increases a man's power of action, therefore, as it increases hope, so does it diminish fear.
Effects of Fear • Contraction (withdrawal) from the imagined lack of power • more inclined to run away • makes its subject speechless • makes its subject tremble • especially in their speech • lower lip and lower jaw tremble • chattering of the teeth • arms and hands tremble • knees tremble • paleness • loosening of the bowels, and urinary or even seminal evacuation
Effects of Fear • Willingness to take counsel • it is in matters of difficulty, especially when we distrust ourselves, that we take counsel, • Usually bad counsel because things seem to him greater or smaller than they really are • Avoid extremes • With intense fear, • man does indeed wish to take counsel, • but his thoughts are so disturbed, that he can find no counsel • With no fear, then a lack of carefulness
Effects of Fear • May hinder action • In respect to the instrument of action, the body • always apt to hinder exterior action • In respect to the mover • Moderate fear (without much disturbance of the reason)causes a person to • Take a certain solicitude • Take counsel • Work with greater attention • Intense fear (disturbs the reason) • hinders action even on the part of the mover