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Objection 1: It seems that there are no ideas. For Dionysius says
(Div. Nom. vii), that God does not know things by ideas. But
ideas are for nothing else except that things may be known through
them. Therefore there are no ideas.
Objection 2: Further, God knows all things in Himself, as has
been already said (Question 14, Article 5). But He does not
know Himself through an idea; neither therefore other things.
Objection 3: Further, an idea is considered to be the principle of
knowledge and action. But the divine essence is a sufficient principle
of knowing and effecting all things. It is not therefore necessary to
suppose ideas.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Octog. Tri. Quaest. qu.
xlvi),"Such is the power inherent in ideas, that no one can be wise
unless they are understood."
I answer that, It is necessary to suppose ideas in the divine mind.
For the Greek word Idea is in Latin "forma." Hence by ideas are
understood the forms of things, existing apart from the things
themselves. Now the form of anything existing apart from the thing
itself can be for one of two ends: either to be the type of that of
which it is called the form, or to be the principle of the knowledge of
that thing, inasmuch as the forms of things knowable are said to be in
him who knows them. In either case we must suppose ideas, as is clear
for the following reason:
In all things not generated by chance, the form must be the end of any
generation whatsoever. But an agent does not act on account of the
form, except in so far as the likeness of the form is in the agent, as
may happen in two ways. For in some agents the form of the thing to be
made pre-exists according to its natural being, as in those that act
by their nature; as a man generates a man, or fire generates fire.
Whereas in other agents (the form of the thing to be made
pre-exists) according to intelligible being, as in those that act by
the intellect; and thus the likeness of a house pre-exists in the mind
of the builder. And this may be called the idea of the house, since
the builder intends to build his house like to the form conceived in his
mind. As then the world was not made by chance, but by God acting by
His intellect, as will appear later (Question 46, Article 1),
there must exist in the divine mind a form to the likeness of which the
world was made. And in this the notion of an idea consists.
Reply to Objection 1: God does not understand things according to
an idea existing outside Himself. Thus Aristotle (Metaph. ix)
rejects the opinion of Plato, who held that ideas existed of
themselves, and not in the intellect.
Reply to Objection 2: Although God knows Himself and all else by
His own essence, yet His essence is the operative principle of all
things, except of Himself. It has therefore the nature of an idea
with respect to other things; though not with respect to Himself.
Reply to Objection 3: God is the similitude of all things according
to His essence; therefore an idea in God is identical with His
essence.
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