THREAT

The expression of an intention to inflict evil or punishment on another, usually made for the purpose of dissuading him from doing, or of influencing him to do, something. A threat can be just or unjust, good or bad, depending upon whether the threatened retaliatory measure is morally justifiable. God threatened His chosen people with calamities if they rejected His Commandments (Lv 26.14–43). The sanction normally attached to positive law is, in effect, a threat of punishment to be inflicted upon its transgressors. To threaten punishment may therefore be reasonable and virtuous, and a parent, a teacher, or a custodian of the law, would fail in his duty if he neglected in some circumstances to threaten punishment. prudence, of course, must dictate the norms to be observed in making justifiable threats. To threaten a child with exaggeratedly dire and frightening consequences of misbehavior is imprudent, because the threat can be more damaging than helpful to the child. On the other hand it is bad for the young to be threatened with punishment that is not actually intended.

If one really means to carry out a threat of inflicting unjust harm or injury on another, he is guilty interiorly of the injustice he is determined to commit. Even apart from any real intention to carry out the threat, it is always sinful to threaten harm one may not lawfully inflict, or to threaten to evil purpose, e.g., as in extortion. In these cases a threat is akin to violence or duress and is an unjust attack upon another's freedom, tranquillity, and personal dignity.

Bibliography: thomas aquinas, Summa theologiae, 1a2ae, 64–66; 2a2ae, 101, 102, 116. w. r. farrell, Companion to the Summa, 4 v. (New York 1938–42) 3:331–353.

[p. mulhern]