Question

Consider the sophistication and technology of the 21st century. Examine how the medieval account of human nature aligns with your own experience of human action. That is, do you observe (in yourself and others) an inclination toward evil instead of toward good? Explain and analyze your observations. Bring in examples of scenarios that bolster your view or that tend to bring your view (or others) into question.

Answer 1

Ruggiero explained that medieval ethics combined the classical emphasis on human reason with the idea of obedience to God's will. Until Aquinas rediscovered Aristotle, Augustine’s Platonic system was used during the Medieval period. (Ruggiero, 2011) The modern period of ethics, more specifically the 17th and 18th included the enlightenment and the “age of reason. (Benn, 1997) One of the differences between medieval and modern period was the involvement of religion. In the modern period the focus on religion dissipated.