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Objection 1: It would seem that the separated soul does not know
singulars. For no cognitive power besides the intellect remains in the
separated soul, as is clear from what has been said above (Question
77, Article 8). But the intellect cannot know singulars, as we
have shown (Question 86, Article 1). Therefore the separated
soul cannot know singulars.
Objection 2: Further, the knowledge of the singular is more
determinate than knowledge of the universal. But the separated soul
has no determinate knowledge of the species of natural things,
therefore much less can it know singulars.
Objection 3: Further, if it knew the singulars, yet not by sense,
for the same reason it would know all singulars. But it does not know
all singulars. Therefore it knows none.
On the contrary, The rich man in hell said: "I have five
brethren" (Lk. 16:28).
I answer that, Separated souls know some singulars, but not all,
not even all present singulars. To understand this, we must consider
that there is a twofold way of knowing things, one by means of
abstraction from phantasms, and in this way singulars cannot be
directly known by the intellect, but only indirectly, as stated above
(Question 86, Article 1). The other way of understanding is by
the infusion of species by God, and in that way it is possible for the
intellect to know singulars. For as God knows all things, universal
and singular, by His Essence, as the cause of universal and
individual principles (Question 14, Article 2), so likewise
separate substances can know singulars by species which are a kind of
participated similitude of the Divine Essence. There is a
difference, however, between angels and separated souls in the fact
that through these species the angels have a perfect and proper
knowledge of things; whereas separated have only a confused knowledge.
Hence the angels, by reason of their perfect intellect, through these
species, know not only the specific natures of things, but also the
singulars contained in those species; whereas separated souls by these
species know only those singulars to which they are determined by former
knowledge in this life, or by some affection, or by natural aptitude,
or by the disposition of the Divine order; because whatever is
received into anything is conditioned according to the mode of the
recipient.
Reply to Objection 1: The intellect does not know the singular by
way of abstraction; neither does the separated soul know it thus; but
as explained above.
Reply to Objection 2: The knowledge of the separated soul is
confined to those species or individuals to which the soul has some kind
of determinate relation, as we have said.
Reply to Objection 3: The separated soul has not the same relation
to all singulars, but one relation to some, and another to others.
Therefore there is not the same reason why it should know all
singulars.
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