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About this quote

What does it mean?
Claim that humans need joy and will seek carnal pleasures if spiritual joy is missing.
In plain terms
People need happiness and will seek lower pleasures without spiritual ones.
What can you take from it?
Spiritual joy is essential to prevent unhealthy coping.

Where it applies

  • moral counseling
  • personal reflection
  • theological study

Putting it to work

  • moral guidance
  • spiritual counseling

Questions to consider

  • What brings true joy?
  • How do you fill a spiritual void?

Another view

It oversimplifies the causes of addiction and behavior.

More from Thomas Aquinas

  1. Beware the man of one book.

    Permalink to quote #13
  2. Music is the exaltation of the mind derived from things eternal, bursting forth in sound.

    Permalink to quote #15
  3. Abuse does not rule out use.

    Permalink to quote #12

Related quotes

  1. L'homme n'est ni ange ni bete, et le malheur veut que qui veut faire l'ange fait la bete.

    Blaise PascalBlaise Pascal quote #4
  2. Egoisten sind wir alle, der eine mehr, der andere weniger. Der eine lasst seinen Egoismus nackend laufen, der andere hangt ihm ein Mantelchen um.

    August von KotzebueAugust von Kotzebue quote #4
  3. Only the descent into the hell of self-knowledge can pave the way to godliness.

    Immanuel KantImmanuel Kant quote #13