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Objection 1: It would seem that the rational soul is not immediately
made by God, but by the instrumentality of the angels. For spiritual
things have more order than corporeal things. But inferior bodies are
produced by means of the superior, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom.
iv). Therefore also the inferior spirits, who are the rational
souls, are produced by means of the superior spirits, the angels.
Objection 2: Further, the end corresponds to the beginning of
things; for God is the beginning and end of all. Therefore the issue
of things from their beginning corresponds to the forwarding of them to
their end. But "inferior things are forwarded by the higher," as
Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. v); therefore also the inferior are
produced into existence by the higher, and souls by angels.
Objection 3: Further, "perfect is that which can produce its
like," as is stated Metaph. v. But spiritual substances are much
more perfect than corporeal. Therefore, since bodies produce their
like in their own species, much more are angels able to produce
something specifically inferior to themselves; and such is the rational
soul.
On the contrary, It is written (Gn. 2:7) that God Himself
"breathed into the face of man the breath of life."
I answer that, Some have held that angels, acting by the power of
God, produce rational souls. But this is quite impossible, and is
against faith. For it has been proved that the rational soul cannot be
produced except by creation. Now, God alone can create; for the
first agent alone can act without presupposing the existence of
anything; while the second cause always presupposes something derived
from the first cause, as above explained (Question 75, Article
3): and every agent, that presupposes something to its act, acts by
making a change therein. Therefore everything else acts by producing a
change, whereas God alone acts by creation. Since, therefore, the
rational soul cannot be produced by a change in matter, it cannot be
produced, save immediately by God.
Thus the replies to the objections are clear. For that bodies produce
their like or something inferior to themselves, and that the higher
things lead forward the inferior---all these things are effected
through a certain transmutation.
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