Editing Good (section)

=== Medieval period in western cultures ===
{{Further|Christian philosophy}}
[[File:Saint Joseph's Catholic Church (Central City, Kentucky) - stained glass, St. Thomas Aquinas, detail.jpg|thumb|upright|A stained glass window of Thomas Aquinas in St. Joseph's Catholic Church ([[Central City, Kentucky]])]]
Medieval [[Christian philosophy]] was founded on the work of Bishop [[Augustine of Hippo]] and theologian [[Thomas Aquinas]], who understood evil in terms of [[Biblical infallibility]] and [[Biblical inerrancy]], as well as the influences of Plato and Aristotle, in their appreciation of the concept of the [[Summum bonum]]. Silent contemplation was the route to appreciation of the Idea of the Good.<ref>A. Kojeve, ''Introduction to the Reading of Hegel'' (1980) p. 108</ref>

Many medieval Christian theologians both broadened and narrowed the basic concept of ''Good and Evil'' until it came to have several, sometimes complex definitions such as:<ref>{{cite book |title=Good and Evil: Interpreting a Human Condition|author=Farley, E|publisher=Fortress Press / Vanderbilt University|year=1990|isbn=978-0800624477}}</ref> 
* a personal preference or subjective judgment regarding any issue that might earn [[praise]] or [[punishment]] from the [[Theocracy|religious authorities]]
* religious obligation arising from [[Divine law]] leading to [[saint|sainthood]] or [[damnation]] 
* a generally accepted [[Norm (social)|cultural standard]] of behaviour that might enhance group [[Human evolution (origins of society and culture)|survival]] or wealth
* [[natural law]] or behaviour that induces strong emotional reaction
* [[State (polity)|statute law]] imposing a legal [[duty]]