Moral action and Christian ethics

How do we determine whether an action is right or wrong? Until recently, philosophers assumed that this question could be answered by means of a theory of morality, which set forth clearly established rules for moral behavior. More recently, however, a number of philosophers have questioned whether a theory of morality can be postulated in quite this sense.

Jean Porter is sympathetic to their critiques of moral theories, but questions whether these go far enough in offering a positive alternative to the accepted view of the moral act. Such an alternative she finds in the work of Thomas Aquinas, whose account of moral rationality is placed in a wider context of ethical thought, and whose moral reasoning is understood as dialectical rather than deductive. The Thomist account of the moral virtues is seen to offer unexpected insights into the relationship between moral rules and the practice of the virtues.

For the author, this account can contribute to our own moral reflection, even for those who do not share the religious beliefs of Aquinas.