Philosopher · Contemporary

G. E. M. Anscombe

1919–2001 · Analytic Thomism; virtue ethics

Catholic Latin Thomism · Analytic and Aristotelian Thomism

Convert as a schoolgirl; Wittgenstein's pupil and literary executor; professor at Cambridge.

The Cambridge philosopher whose 1958 essay “Modern Moral Philosophy” coined “consequentialism” in order to reject it, called for a return to Aristotle's virtues and the philosophy of psychology, and insisted that a philosopher who thinks the judicial killing of an innocent could be right “shows a corrupt mind.” Her “Intention” founded the modern philosophy of action; she opposed Truman's honorary degree, defended Humanae Vitae in “Contraception and Chastity,” and was arrested at an abortion clinic.

Why he matters: Brought the Catholic doctrine of intrinsically evil acts, double effect and the virtues into analytic philosophy, and launched the revival of virtue ethics; her clarity made orthodoxy respectable in secular departments.

School of Thomism · Analytic and Aristotelian Thomism

Anscombe, Geach, MacIntyre and the recent analytic Thomists: Thomas's ethics and philosophy of mind in conversation with Wittgenstein and Aristotle, strongest on action, intention and the virtues.

Others in this strand: Alasdair MacIntyre, G. K. Chesterton

Reading

Modern Moral Philosophy

G. E. M. Anscombe · The essay that coined “consequentialism” and revived virtue ethics.

Journal
Intention

G. E. M. Anscombe · The founding text of the philosophy of action.

Journal
Faith in a Hard Ground: Essays on Religion, Philosophy and Ethics

G. E. M. Anscombe (ed. Mary Geach and Luke Gormally) · Her Catholic essays collected.

Journal

Documented positions

Where this thinker stands on each dispute the test covers.

Settled teaching Its center Open question Beyond teaching, not condemned Condemned error

God and Being · What is, and whence it is.

Can reason know that God exists? Natural theology

Fideism or agnosticism Natural theology

How is God related to the world? Creation from nothing

Pantheism or emanation Creation from nothing

Is the world governed by purpose? Providence and final causes

Chance and mechanism Providence and final causes

Do natures and essences really exist? Realism

Nominalism Realism

Is 'being' said of God and of creatures in the same sense? Analogy of being

Analogy of being Univocity of being

How does creation speak of God? Natures studied in their own right

Natures studied in their own right A book of signs and vestiges

Faith, Reason and Truth · How we know, and whom we trust.

Faith and reason: who has the last word? Between

Rationalism Fideism

Where does knowledge begin? Senses and abstraction

Senses and abstraction Illumination and innate ideas

Is truth objective? Objective truth

Relativism and pragmatism Objective truth

Who interprets revelation? Living Tradition and Magisterium

Private judgment Living Tradition and Magisterium

What is theology for? A science ordered to knowing

A science ordered to knowing A wisdom ordered to loving

Does doctrine develop? Between

Always the same, in the same words A living development

Are the world's learning and arts a danger or a gift? A gift to be baptized

A danger: Athens has nothing to do with Jerusalem A gift to be baptized

III

The Human Person · Soul, body, freedom and the Fall.

Is there a spiritual soul? Immortal spiritual soul

Mind is brain Immortal spiritual soul

Is the body really you? Body–soul unity

Dualism Body–soul unity

Are you free? Free will

Determinism Free will

How fallen is human nature? Between

Totally depraved Basically good

The body and its desires Between

Contempt for the flesh Desire as its own law

Marriage, sex and the body's meaning Given by nature and grace

Given by nature and grace Defined by consent and identity

What makes you this one and no other? This matter, this body

This matter, this body A positive thisness (haecceity)

What is suffering for? A share in the Cross

An evil to be relieved A share in the Cross

The Moral Life · Law, virtue, conscience and the good.

Is morality objective and knowable? Natural law

Relativism Natural law

Why is the good good? Eternal law (intellectualism)

Divine command (voluntarism) Eternal law (intellectualism)

Are some acts always wrong? Intrinsically evil acts

Consequentialism Intrinsically evil acts

Rules or character? Morality of virtue and beatitude

Morality of obligation Morality of virtue and beatitude

What is conscience? Conscience bound to truth

Autonomous conscience Conscience bound to truth

In doubtful cases Rigorism

Rigorism Laxism

What is happiness? Beatitude in God

Earthly flourishing Beatitude in God

What is heaven's happiness, at its heart? The intellect's vision of God

The intellect's vision of God The will's love and enjoyment of God

Grace and Salvation · How God saves, and whom.

How are we made right with God? Infused, transforming grace

Forensic imputation Infused, transforming grace

Church and Society · Authority, the state, wealth and the nation.

Church and state Social kingship of Christ

Laicism Social kingship of Christ

Where does authority come from? Authority from God

Social contract Authority from God

Reform or tradition? Guided by tradition

Remake by reason Guided by tradition

Which form of government best suits a Christian people? Between

Monarchy and hierarchy Democracy and participation

May a Christian take up the sword? Yes: war can be just and sometimes a duty

Never: the way of the Cross is nonviolence Yes: war can be just and sometimes a duty

VII

Worship, Prayer and the Two Lungs · Liturgy, icons, the Spirit, and the See of Peter.

The office of Peter Universal and immediate primacy

Conciliarism Universal and immediate primacy

What do the sacraments do? Efficacious ex opere operato

Signs only Efficacious ex opere operato

The Second Vatican Council Between

Reject the Council A new beginning

When the Pope speaks Every word binds

Resist and judge Every word binds

Holy Orders and the Church's constitution A clerical Church

A clerical Church Reformable by the people