Question

Does Thomas Aquinas think that it is possible for humans to achieve their highest good? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Thomas Aquinas is called the “angelic Doctor” by the Roman Catholic Church. According to him perfect happiness or highest good cannot be achieved on earth. Aquinas however maintains that we can achieve a kind of “imperfect happiness” here on earth. We can achieve happiness in this life in proportion to the level of truth accessible to reason.

For him, final happiness consists in beatitude, or supernatural union with God. Such an end lies far beyond what we through our natural human capacities can attain. We need God’s help in order to restore the good of our nature and bring us into conformity with his will. To this end, God imbues us with his grace which comes in the form of divinely instantiated virtues and gifts. So, it is not possible for humans to achieve their highest good alone.