Episode 30 - Development in Argument Against Usury

About this episode

This episode provides commentary on various philosophical and theological texts discussing the concept of usury and the proper use of possessions.

Commentary on the Sentences: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~Sent.III.D37.Q1.A6 Summa Theologiae: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~ST.II-II.Q78 De Malo: https://aquinas.cc/la/la/~QDeMalo.Q13.A4 Quodlibet: https://aquinas.cc/la/en/~QIII.Q7.A2 Aristotle’s Politics: “Of everything which we possess there are two uses: both belong to the thing as such, but not in the same manner, for one is the proper, and the other the improper or secondary use of it. For example, a shoe is used for wear, and is used for exchange; both are uses of the shoe. He who gives a shoe in exchange for money or food to him who wants one, does indeed use the shoe as a shoe, but this is not its proper or primary purpose, for a shoe is not made to be an object of barter. The same may be said of all possessions, for the art of exchange extends to all of them, and it arises at first from what is natural, from the circumstance that some have too little, others too much.” Digest of Justinian: https://droitromain.univ-grenoble-alpes.fr/Anglica/D13_Scott.htm#VI - “There can be no loan of an article which is consumed by use, unless the person borrowed it for the purpose of pomp or ostentation.” This is a public episode. If you would…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Humpherys

Topics covered

• usury
• philosophy
• economics
• Aristotle
• theology
• law

Keywords

• usury
• philosophy
• economics
• Aristotle
• theology
• law
• possessions
• exchange

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Sentences, Summa Theologiae, De Malo, Quodlibet, Aristotle’s Politics, Digest of Justinian

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• Episode 29: Aristotle's Politics on Usury · December 8, 2025 · 46 min
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