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Objection 1: It would seem that sadness does not cause pleasure.
For nothing causes its own contrary. But sadness is contrary to
pleasure. Therefore it does not cause it.
Objection 2: Further, contraries have contrary effects. But
pleasures, when called to mind, cause pleasure. Therefore sad
things, when remembered, cause sorrow and not pleasure.
Objection 3: Further, as sadness is to pleasure, so is hatred to
love. But hatred does not cause love, but rather the other way
about, as stated above (Question 29, Article 2). Therefore
sadness does not cause pleasure.
On the contrary, It is written (Ps. 41:4): "My tears have
been my bread day and night": where bread denotes the refreshment of
pleasure. Therefore tears, which arise from sadness, can give
pleasure.
I answer that, Sadness may be considered in two ways: as existing
actually, and as existing in the memory: and in both ways sadness can
cause pleasure. Because sadness, as actually existing, causes
pleasure, inasmuch as it brings to mind that which is loved, the
absence of which causes sadness; and yet the mere thought of it gives
pleasure. The recollection of sadness becomes a cause of pleasure, on
account of the deliverance which ensued: because absence of evil is
looked upon as something good; wherefore so far as a man thinks that he
has been delivered from that which caused him sorrow and pain, so much
reason has he to rejoice. Hence Augustine says in De Civ. Dei
xxii, 31 [Gregory, Moral. iv.] that "oftentimes in joy we
call to mind sad things . . . and in the season of health we recall
past pains without feeling pain . . . and in proportion are the more
filled with joy and gladness": and again (Confess. viii, 3) he
says that "the more peril there was in the battle, so much the more
joy will there be in the triumph."
Reply to Objection 1: Sometimes accidentally a thing is the cause
of its contrary: thus "that which is cold sometimes causes heat," as
stated in Phys. viii, 1. In like manner sadness is the accidental
cause of pleasure, in so far as it gives rise to the apprehension of
something pleasant.
Reply to Objection 2: Sad things, called to mind, cause
pleasure, not in so far as they are sad and contrary to pleasant
things; but in so far as man is delivered from them. In like manner
the recollection of pleasant things, by reason of these being lost,
may cause sadness.
Reply to Objection 3: Hatred also can be the accidental cause of
love: i.e. so far as some love one another, inasmuch as they agree
in hating one and the same thing.
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