Intelektas ir žmogaus dorinė veikla: Tomas Akvinietis ir Fiodoras Dostojevskis

LTTomo Akviniečio dorovės filosofijoje vienas iš pagrindinių klausimų yra žmogiškųjų veiksmų samprata ir prigimtis. Tos pačios problemos domina ir rusų rašytoją Fiodorą Dostojevskį, kuris save apibūdina, kaip realistą, vaizduojantį visas žmogaus sielos gilumas. Tomas Akvinietis, analizuodamas dorinę žmogaus veiklą, susitelkia ties gėrio samprata. Jam atrodo, kad žmogus teisingai elgiasi, vadovaudamasis neklaidingu protu, o žmogaus valia tesiekia vien gėrio. [p. 220].

ENThe author analyzes the moral problems of human activity as they are presented in Summa Theologiae by St Thomas Aquinas and The Brothers Karamazov of Fyodor Dostoyevsky in order to compare the methods of their formulation, inquiry and solution. Aquinas and Dostoyevsky both underline the importance of intellect in pursuing moral good and in avoiding evil. But because of his conception of good as fullness of being and of evil as a mere lack of being, Aquinas is so sure of the goodness of the world and human life in it, that the evil which everyone meets in this life tends to become a zero or at least an infinitesimal magnitude. The Christians are so sure of the goodness of their God and churches so wisely direct their life that they can solve their moral problems without disturbing their conscience. Hence their main task is to understand what they are taught: they have no need to suffer trying to answer difficult moral questions on their own. Therefore, the human conscience is less important for Aquinas than it is for Dostoyevsky, who makes evil almost the focal object of his analysis. The shocking phenomena of evil are able to undermine even the moral authority of the Creator, and man feels alone with his own moral problems. His conscience becomes the only authority in dealing with them. The man of Dostoyevsky suffers from moral incertitude and loneliness. The man of Aquinas enjoys moral optimism. Both the thinkers equally recognize the moral significance of intellect, but regard its functions in directing human activity as considerably different.