The term “being” here is roughly equivalent to what is actual or existing. Thus what Aquinas means to convey is that something is good insofar as it actual. By contrast, evil has no actuality in its own right. It would be a mistake, then, to speak of evil as an actual “thing,” if by “thing” we mean an existing being or quality. read more
Thomas Aquinas refers to “the good” as a thing because like the vast majority of identities referred to in language, “the good” is a mental object. As the question itself indicates by the designation Why, mental objects, like physical objects, are classified as “things”. read more
Start studying Philosophy Exam 2 (philosophy of religion, anselm, aquinas, chapter 5). Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. read more