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Objection 1: It would seem that man's happiness consists in
wealth. For since happiness is man's last end, it must consist in
that which has the greatest hold on man's affections. Now this is
wealth: for it is written (Eccles. 10:19): "All things obey
money." Therefore man's happiness consists in wealth.
Objection 2: Further, according to Boethius (De Consol.
iii), happiness is "a state of life made perfect by the aggregate of
all good things." Now money seems to be the means of possessing all
things: for, as the Philosopher says (Ethic. v, 5), money was
invented, that it might be a sort of guarantee for the acquisition of
whatever man desires. Therefore happiness consists in wealth.
Objection 3: Further, since the desire for the sovereign good never
fails, it seems to be infinite. But this is the case with riches more
than anything else; since "a covetous man shall not be satisfied with
riches" (Eccles. 5:9). Therefore happiness consists in
wealth.
On the contrary, Man's good consists in retaining happiness rather
than in spreading it. But as Boethius says (De Consol. ii),
"wealth shines in giving rather than in hoarding: for the miser is
hateful, whereas the generous man is applauded." Therefore man's
happiness does not consist in wealth.
I answer that, It is impossible for man's happiness to consist in
wealth. For wealth is twofold, as the Philosopher says (Polit.
i, 3), viz. natural and artificial. Natural wealth is that which
serves man as a remedy for his natural wants: such as food, drink,
clothing, cars, dwellings, and such like, while artificial wealth is
that which is not a direct help to nature, as money, but is invented
by the art of man, for the convenience of exchange, and as a measure
of things salable.
Now it is evident that man's happiness cannot consist in natural
wealth. For wealth of this kind is sought for the sake of something
else, viz. as a support of human nature: consequently it cannot be
man's last end, rather is it ordained to man as to its end.
Wherefore in the order of nature, all such things are below man, and
made for him, according to Ps. 8:8: "Thou hast subjected all
things under his feet."
And as to artificial wealth, it is not sought save for the sake of
natural wealth; since man would not seek it except because, by its
means, he procures for himself the necessaries of life. Consequently
much less can it be considered in the light of the last end. Therefore
it is impossible for happiness, which is the last end of man, to
consist in wealth.
Reply to Objection 1: All material things obey money, so far as
the multitude of fools is concerned, who know no other than material
goods, which can be obtained for money. But we should take our
estimation of human goods not from the foolish but from the wise: just
as it is for a person whose sense of taste is in good order, to judge
whether a thing is palatable.
Reply to Objection 2: All things salable can be had for money: not
so spiritual things, which cannot be sold. Hence it is written
(Prov. 17:16): "What doth it avail a fool to have riches,
seeing he cannot buy wisdom."
Reply to Objection 3: The desire for natural riches is not
infinite: because they suffice for nature in a certain measure. But
the desire for artificial wealth is infinite, for it is the servant of
disordered concupiscence, which is not curbed, as the Philosopher
makes clear (Polit. i, 3). Yet this desire for wealth is
infinite otherwise than the desire for the sovereign good. For the
more perfectly the sovereign good is possessed, the more it is loved,
and other things despised: because the more we possess it, the more we
know it. Hence it is written (Ecclus. 24:29): "They that
eat me shall yet hunger." Whereas in the desire for wealth and for
whatsoever temporal goods, the contrary is the case: for when we
already possess them, we despise them, and seek others: which is the
sense of Our Lord's words (Jn. 4:13): "Whosoever drinketh
of this water," by which temporal goods are signified, "shall thirst
again." The reason of this is that we realize more their
insufficiency when we possess them: and this very fact shows that they
are imperfect, and the sovereign good does not consist therein.
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