Natural Knowledge of God in the Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquina
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26<br />
abstractive proce .. , <strong>the</strong> tom ot ttle object knOWll ie \U11ted with <strong>the</strong> 1ntellect.<br />
By _ans ot this receiv.d torm, man knows <strong>the</strong> object. BUIl&I1<br />
knowl.dge ie at tirst potential, when it become. actual it may be knowledge<br />
ot a particular, •• g., ot a particular man; or, it -1 be knowledge<br />
ot a cOJllllOn nature. "en we sa1 ~ is <strong>in</strong>tellisent, we attribute to Hill<br />
<strong>the</strong> knowl.dge ot Himselt and ot all o<strong>the</strong>r th<strong>in</strong>g.,--ot all possible, ae<br />
well as ot all actual be<strong>in</strong>g_. !hie knowledge .. ie Hie daply, without <strong>the</strong><br />
impertection. ot ab.traction trom <strong>the</strong> .terial, whioh oondition. h1llllAJl<br />
.<br />
1- .,<br />
knowl.dge.<br />
...e d.ny that knowl.dge <strong>in</strong> <strong>God</strong> 18 <strong>in</strong> any sense dependent on<br />
th<strong>in</strong>g.. <strong>God</strong> does not tnow th<strong>in</strong>gs becaus. <strong>the</strong>,.. are, thugs are becau ••<br />
<strong>God</strong> knows <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
It is because th<strong>in</strong>g. are pr.sent to <strong>the</strong> thought ot <strong>God</strong>,<br />
that He knows <strong>the</strong>m, it ie because He knOWS <strong>the</strong>a and will. to produc. <strong>the</strong>m,<br />
that <strong>the</strong>,.. beco .. actuall,.. exi.t<strong>in</strong>g object •• l ?<br />
<strong>God</strong> oonta<strong>in</strong>s, or ra<strong>the</strong>r, He 1., e •• entially, all <strong>the</strong> pertection that<br />
i. oonta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ea.eDce ot created be<strong>in</strong>g. accc~d1ng to <strong>the</strong>ir varicus ~<br />
degre •• ot participation <strong>in</strong> <strong>God</strong>'. pertection. <strong>God</strong> ... t taow all <strong>the</strong> wa1.<br />
<strong>in</strong> which He oan cause Hi. pertection to be participated.18 An architect<br />
11 I<br />
St. !homa., Contra Gent., I, chap. li, p. llS.<br />
S<strong>in</strong>oe all that i. be.ide Bi ••••• nc. i. oau.e4 ~ atm •••• it must<br />
n.eds b. th~t it <strong>the</strong> atoresaid torma ar. outside <strong>God</strong>, <strong>the</strong>y are oau •• d by<br />
Hill. Bow He i. <strong>the</strong> cau.e ot th<strong>in</strong>g. by Hie <strong>in</strong>t.ll.ct ••••!her.tore <strong>in</strong> ord.r<br />
that th •• e <strong>in</strong>telligible torm. _y exi.t, it ie requir.d that previouely <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> order ot nature <strong>God</strong> should under.tand <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
•<br />
l8St. !ho.a., 8aama !heologica, I a, q. 1', art. 6. oor ••<br />
•• • <strong>the</strong> nature proper to .ach th<strong>in</strong>S consi.ts <strong>in</strong> .ome d.gr.e ot participation<br />
<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> div<strong>in</strong>e p.rteotion. Wow <strong>God</strong> oould not be .aid to know<br />
Ht.a.lt pert.ctly unl.s. H. knew all <strong>the</strong> way. <strong>in</strong> which Hi. 0WIl pert.ction<br />
oan be .har.d by oth.r.. ..i th.r could Be mow <strong>the</strong> v.ry nature ot be<strong>in</strong>g<br />
pert.otl,.., unle •• h. knew all aede. ot be<strong>in</strong>g.
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