|
Objection 1: It would seem that the angels do not know material
things. For the object understood is the perfection of him who
understands it. But material things cannot be the perfections of
angels, since they are beneath them. Therefore the angels do not know
material things.
Objection 2: Further, intellectual vision is only of such things as
exist within the soul by their essence, as is said in the gloss [On
2 Cor. 12:2, taken from Augustine (Gen. ad lit. xii.
28)]. But the material things cannot enter by their essence into
man's soul, nor into the angel's mind. Therefore they cannot be
known by intellectual vision, but only by imaginary vision, whereby
the images of bodies are apprehended, and by sensible vision, which
regards bodies in themselves. Now there is neither imaginary nor
sensible vision in the angels, but only intellectual. Therefore the
angels cannot know material things.
Objection 3: Further, material things are not actually
intelligible, but are knowable by apprehension of sense and of
imagination, which does not exist in angels. Therefore angels do not
know material things.
On the contrary, Whatever the lower power can do, the higher can do
likewise. But man's intellect, which in the order of nature is
inferior to the angel's, can know material things. Therefore much
more can the mind of an angel.
I answer that, The established order of things is for the higher
beings to be more perfect than the lower; and for whatever is contained
deficiently, partially, and in manifold manner in the lower beings,
to be contained in the higher eminently, and in a certain degree of
fulness and simplicity. Therefore, in God, as in the highest source
of things, all things pre-exist supersubstantially in respect of His
simple Being itself, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. 1). But
among other creatures the angels are nearest to God, and resemble Him
most; hence they share more fully and more perfectly in the Divine
goodness, as Dionysius says (Coel. Hier. iv). Consequently,
all material things pre-exist in the angels more simply and less
materially even than in themselves, yet in a more manifold manner and
less perfectly than in God.
Now whatever exists in any subject, is contained in it after the
manner of such subject. But the angels are intellectual beings of
their own nature. Therefore, as God knows material things by His
essence, so do the angels know them, forasmuch as they are in the
angels by their intelligible species.
Reply to Objection 1: The thing understood is the perfection of the
one who understands, by reason of the intelligible species which he has
in his intellect. And thus the intelligible species which are in the
intellect of an angel are perfections and acts in regard to that
intellect.
Reply to Objection 2: Sense does not apprehend the essences of
things, but only their outward accidents. In like manner neither does
the imagination; for it apprehends only the images of bodies. The
intellect alone apprehends the essences of things. Hence it is said
(De Anima iii, text. 26) that the object of the intellect is
"what a thing is," regarding which it does not err; as neither does
sense regarding its proper sensible object. So therefore the essences
of material things are in the intellect of man and angels, as the thing
understood is in him who understands, and not according to their real
natures. But some things are in an intellect or in the soul according
to both natures; and in either case there is intellectual vision.
Reply to Objection 3: If an angel were to draw his knowledge of
material things from the material things themselves, he would require
to make them actually intelligible by a process of abstraction. But he
does not derive his knowledge of them from the material things
themselves; he has knowledge of material things by actually
intelligible species of things, which species are connatural to him;
just as our intellect has, by species which it makes intelligible by
abstraction.
|
|