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Objection 1: It would seem that the body of man was not given an apt
disposition. For since man is the noblest of animals, his body ought
to be the best disposed in what is proper to an animal, that is, in
sense and movement. But some animals have sharper senses and quicker
movement than man; thus dogs have a keener smell, and birds a swifter
flight. Therefore man's body was not aptly disposed.
Objection 2: Further, perfect is what lacks nothing. But the
human body lacks more than the body of other animals, for these are
provided with covering and natural arms of defense, in which man is
lacking. Therefore the human body is very imperfectly disposed.
Objection 3: Further, man is more distant from plants than he is
from the brutes. But plants are erect in stature, while brutes are
prone in stature. Therefore man should not be of erect stature.
On the contrary, It is written (Eccles. 7:30): "God made
man right."
I answer that, All natural things were produced by the Divine art,
and so may be called God's works of art. Now every artist intends to
give to his work the best disposition; not absolutely the best, but
the best as regards the proposed end; and even if this entails some
defect, the artist cares not: thus, for instance, when man makes
himself a saw for the purpose of cutting, he makes it of iron, which
is suitable for the object in view; and he does not prefer to make it
of glass, though this be a more beautiful material, because this very
beauty would be an obstacle to the end he has in view. Therefore God
gave to each natural being the best disposition; not absolutely so,
but in the view of its proper end. This is what the Philosopher says
(Phys. ii, 7): "And because it is better so, not absolutely,
but for each one's substance."
Now the proximate end of the human body is the rational soul and its
operations; since matter is for the sake of the form, and instruments
are for the action of the agent. I say, therefore, that God
fashioned the human body in that disposition which was best, as most
suited to such a form and to such operations. If defect exists in the
disposition of the human body, it is well to observe that such defect
arises as a necessary result of the matter, from the conditions
required in the body, in order to make it suitably proportioned to the
soul and its operations.
Reply to Objection 1: The sense of touch, which is the foundation
of the other senses, is more perfect in man than in any other animal;
and for this reason man must have the most equable temperament of all
animals. Moreover man excels all other animals in the interior
sensitive powers, as is clear from what we have said above (Question
78, Article 4). But by a kind of necessity, man falls short of
the other animals in some of the exterior senses; thus of all animals
he has the least sense of smell. For man needs the largest brain as
compared to the body; both for his greater freedom of action in the
interior powers required for the intellectual operations, as we have
seen above (Question 84, Article 7); and in order that the low
temperature of the brain may modify the heat of the heart, which has to
be considerable in man for him to be able to stand erect. So that size
of the brain, by reason of its humidity, is an impediment to the
smell, which requires dryness. In the same way, we may suggest a
reason why some animals have a keener sight, and a more acute hearing
than man; namely, on account of a hindrance to his senses arising
necessarily from the perfect equability of his temperament. The same
reason suffices to explain why some animals are more rapid in movement
than man, since this excellence of speed is inconsistent with the
equability of the human temperament.
Reply to Objection 2: Horns and claws, which are the weapons of
some animals, and toughness of hide and quantity of hair or feathers,
which are the clothing of animals, are signs of an abundance of the
earthly element; which does not agree with the equability and softness
of the human temperament. Therefore such things do not suit the nature
of man. Instead of these, he has reason and hands whereby he can make
himself arms and clothes, and other necessaries of life, of infinite
variety. Wherefore the hand is called by Aristotle (De Anima iii,
8), "the organ of organs." Moreover this was more becoming to the
rational nature, which is capable of conceiving an infinite number of
things, so as to make for itself an infinite number of instruments.
Reply to Objection 3: An upright stature was becoming to man for
four reasons. First, because the senses are given to man, not only
for the purpose of procuring the necessaries of life, which they are
bestowed on other animals, but also for the purpose of knowledge.
Hence, whereas the other animals take delight in the objects of the
senses only as ordered to food and sex, man alone takes pleasure in the
beauty of sensible objects for its own sake. Therefore, as the senses
are situated chiefly in the face, other animals have the face turned to
the ground, as it were for the purpose of seeking food and procuring a
livelihood; whereas man has his face erect, in order that by the
senses, and chiefly by sight, which is more subtle and penetrates
further into the differences of things, he may freely survey the
sensible objects around him, both heavenly and earthly, so as to
gather intelligible truth from all things. Secondly, for the greater
freedom of the acts of the interior powers; the brain, wherein these
actions are, in a way, performed, not being low down, but lifted up
above other parts of the body. Thirdly, because if man's stature
were prone to the ground he would need to use his hands as fore-feet;
and thus their utility for other purposes would cease. Fourthly,
because if man's stature were prone to the ground, and he used his
hands as fore-feet, he would be obliged to take hold of his food with
his mouth. Thus he would have a protruding mouth, with thick and hard
lips, and also a hard tongue, so as to keep it from being hurt by
exterior things; as we see in other animals. Moreover, such an
attitude would quite hinder speech, which is reason's proper
operation.
Nevertheless, though of erect stature, man is far above plants. For
man's superior part, his head, is turned towards the superior part of
the world, and his inferior part is turned towards the inferior world;
and therefore he is perfectly disposed as to the general situation of
his body. Plants have the superior part turned towards the lower
world, since their roots correspond to the mouth; and their inferior
part towards the upper world. But brute animals have a middle
disposition, for the superior part of the animal is that by which it
takes food, and the inferior part that by which it rids itself of the
surplus.
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