Eckhart, Aquinas, and the Problem of Intrinsic Goods. Issue 1 (2nd January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chua, Reginald Mary
• Is Part Of: Medieval mystical theology. Volume 28:Issue 1(2019)
• Page Start: 3
• Page End: 13
• Publication Date: 2019-01-02
• Subjects: Meister Eckhart -- Thomas Aquinas -- Germain Grisez -- union -- deification -- creation; Church history -- Middle Ages, 600-1500 -- Periodicals; Mysticism -- History -- Middle Ages, 600-1500 -- Periodicals; Mysticism -- England -- History -- Periodicals; 248.2205
• DOI: 10.1080/20465726.2019.1620488
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-5726

Abstract

ABSTRACT: I discuss Eckhart's and Aquinas' conception of human-divine union with reference to what I call the problem of intrinsic goods, a problem concerning how to reconcile the pursuit of actions which are prima facie sought for their own sake (e.g. pursuing justice for the marginalized, listening to a work of music) with the pursuit of God as the ultimate end of every action. I introduce the problem with the help of Germain Grisez's critique of Aquinas' account of union with God, and I suggest that Eckhart's alternative conception of union may be understood as an attempt to resolve (or dissolve) the problem.