Modern debates about sex often begin with personal choice. Aquinas begins somewhere else entirely: with purpose.
In this episode, he continues his exploration of lust by asking why different sexual acts belong in different moral categories. His answer isn’t based on emotion or social convention, but on what each act frustrates or damages. Some separate sex from its life-giving purpose. Others place children at a disadvantage. Others violate bonds of family, marriage, or personal dignity.
It’s a challenging framework, and many listeners will disagree with parts of it. But before rejecting it, it’s worth understanding the careful reasoning behind it. This episode unpacks that reasoning step by step and shows why Aquinas thought moral distinctions should correspond to real human goods.
Read the relevant article of the Summa here:
Summa Theologica. Part 2 of 2. Question 154. Article 1. Into what parts is lust divided?
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