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Objection 1: It would seem that man cannot attain happiness. For
just as the rational is above the sensible nature, so the intellectual
is above the rational, as Dionysius declares (Div. Nom. iv, vi,
vii) in several passages. But irrational animals that have the
sensitive nature only, cannot attain the end of the rational nature.
Therefore neither can man, who is of rational nature, attain the end
of the intellectual nature, which is Happiness.
Objection 2: Further, True Happiness consists in seeing God,
Who is pure Truth. But from his very nature, man considers truth in
material things: wherefore "he understands the intelligible species in
the phantasm" (De Anima iii, 7). Therefore he cannot attain
Happiness.
Objection 3: Further, Happiness consists in attaining the
Sovereign Good. But we cannot arrive at the top without surmounting
the middle. Since, therefore, the angelic nature through which man
cannot mount is midway between God and human nature; it seems that he
cannot attain Happiness.
On the contrary, It is written (Ps. 93:12): "Blessed is
the man whom Thou shalt instruct, O Lord."
I answer that, Happiness is the attainment of the Perfect Good.
Whoever, therefore, is capable of the Perfect Good can attain
Happiness. Now, that man is capable of the Perfect Good, is
proved both because his intellect can apprehend the universal and
perfect good, and because his will can desire it. And therefore man
can attain Happiness. This can be proved again from the fact that man
is capable of seeing God, as stated in FP, Question 12,
Article 1: in which vision, as we stated above (Question 3,
Article 8) man's perfect Happiness consists.
Reply to Objection 1: The rational exceeds the sensitive nature,
otherwise than the intellectual surpasses the rational. For the
rational exceeds the sensitive nature in respect of the object of its
knowledge: since the senses have no knowledge whatever of the
universal, whereas the reason has knowledge thereof. But the
intellectual surpasses the rational nature, as to the mode of knowing
the same intelligible truth: for the intellectual nature grasps
forthwith the truth which the rational nature reaches by the inquiry of
reason, as was made clear in the FP, Question 58, Article 3;
FP, Question 79, Article 8. Therefore reason arrives by a
kind of movement at that which the intellect grasps. Consequently the
rational nature can attain Happiness, which is the perfection of the
intellectual nature: but otherwise than the angels. Because the
angels attained it forthwith after the beginning of their creation:
whereas man attains if after a time. But the sensitive nature can
nowise attain this end.
Reply to Objection 2: To man in the present state of life the
natural way of knowing intelligible truth is by means of phantasms.
But after this state of life, he has another natural way, as was
stated in the FP, Question 84, Article 7. ; FP, Question
89, Article 1.
Reply to Objection 3: Man cannot surmount the angels in the degree
of nature so as to be above them naturally. But he can surmount them
by an operation of the intellect, by understanding that there is above
the angels something that makes men happy; and when he has attained
it, he will be perfectly happy.
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