On the Will and Morality (trans. ed)

Since the original publication of Duns Scotus on the Will and Morality in 1986, there has been a remarkable growth of interest in the thought of this early fourteenth-century Franciscan master. Allan B. Wolter's critically acclaimed book inspired much of the inquiry, and today it remains the standard source on Scotus' moral philosophy.

This new edition of the book retains the introduction and English translations of the original thirty-four selections of texts from Scotus' writings on the will and morality. In addition to a substantially expanded bibliography, the volume includes a preface written by William A. Frank.

"With admirable perseverance . . . the author has prepared the translation of a broad selection of Scotus passages, which in carefully ordered succession present a fairly full humanistic and Christian moral doctrine. The precise aim of the work is not completeness or a simple survey of ethics but a demonstration of the rational unity and consistency of Scotus' moral philosophy and its accessibility to human reason. For a generation of students whose command of Latin is limited this will be a valuable instrument for access both to a standard line of medieval thought and to an impressively unified Christian ethics. . . . A splendid book."-Manuscripta, on the first edition

ABOUT THE TRANSLATORS:

Allan B. Wolter, O.F.M., is professor emeritus of philosophy at The Catholic University of America and distinguished research professor at the Franciscan Institute in St. Bonaventure, New York. He is the author of numerous works on medieval philosophy.

William A. Frank is professor of philosophy at the University of Dallas.

Table of Contents

Preface to This Edition

Preface to the Original Edition

Introduction

1. General Remarks

2. Notes on the Specific Selections

Part I. The will and Intellect

1. Practical science

2. The will as a rational faculty

3. How the will controls thought

4. Coercion and free will

Part II. The will and its inclinations

5. The will and its inclinations

6. Natural will and natural volition

7. Happiness

8. Synderesis and conscience

Part III. Moral goodness

9. The nature of moral goodness

10. The source of moral goodness

11. Degrees of moral goodness and badness

12. Does the end alone justify actions?

13. Morally indifferent acts

14. Is moral goodness conformity to God's will?

Part IV. God and the moral law

15. God's justice

16. God's absolute and ordained power

Part V. The moral law in general

17. Natural law and divine positive law

18. The decalogue and the law of nature

19. On marriage and bigamy

20. Divorce and the Mosaic law

21. Positive law and civil authority

Part VI. The intellectual and moral virtures

22. The will as the seat of the moral virtues

23. Moral virtue and the gifts and fruits of the Spirit

24. Are the moral virtues connected?

Part VII. The love of God, self, and neighbor

25. The infused virtue of charity

26. Love of God and neighbor

27. Love of God and self

Part VIII. Sin

28. Is the power to sin from God?

29. The sin of Lucifer

30. The sin of malice

31. Lying

32. Perjury

33. The obligation to keep secrets

34. The sin of enslavement

Texts in Translation

Part I. The Will and Intellect

Part II. The Will and Its Inclinations

Part III. Moral Goodness

Part IV. God and the Moral Law

Part V. The Moral Law in General

Part VI. The Intellectual and Moral Virtues

Part VII. The Love of God, Self, and Neighbor