Final answer:
Aquinas' deontic logic, influenced by Aristotle, focuses more on Natural Law and virtue ethics rather than a supererogation-first approach, with empirical evidence playing a crucial role in knowledge and the existence of God.
Step-by-step explanation:
The query whether Aquinas' implicit deontic logic may, if assessed by modern technical sensibilities, be regarded as a supererogation-first system, invites an exploration into Aquinas' philosophical integration of Aristotelian thought with Christian orthodoxy.
St. Thomas Aquinas, recognized as a seminal figure in Natural Law Theory, applied Aristotelian metaphysics, notably the concepts of potentiality and actuality, in his discussion of natural moral order and the existence of God through his Five Ways.
Aquinas did not subscribe to supererogation as a primary system; he used natural theology and the concept of virtue ethics to interpret moral obligations rather than focusing on acts beyond duty. He was influenced by Aristotle’s emphasis on empirical evidence and the important role of sense data in the knowing process. Evolutionary theory and critics of Natural Law posit that natural moral order does not necessarily indicate a God nor does the inherent nature of Homo sapiens secure laws for behavior.