Natural Knowledge of God in the Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquina

46
the incomprehensible greatness of God. Whose indivisible unity we~ffirm
even while we name Him Wisdom, Goodness. Truth or any other of the various
analogical terms by which we signify God.
Among these numerous analogical terms there is one to whioh practical-
1y all the others can be reduced,that, namely, of being.
.
... .. ;
Being is fundamental
to the entire Thomistic metaphysio; it i8 a oonoe~t to which all
others are in some way related. 2 If the analigy of being is used to illustrate
Thomistic metaphysio, the reason for doing so should be clear.
We began our study of God's existence with composite being. We sought
the cause of the becoming of composite being in Being that never becomes
because it is the plenitude of perfection.
The point from which we started
was being as known through experience; the Being to which our reasoned
conclusion led us lies infinitely beyond the scope of direct experience;
still, because we know being that begins to be or oeases to exist, we know
that there is a Being Whonei ther begins nor ceases to be.
The predication of being of the finite and of the Infinite is not
purely attributive nor is it purely negative.
The only kind of being immediately
known to us is being composed of potency and aot.
When we affi~
being of God. it is not the essentially limited existence of. let u.
I
201giati-Zybura: ~ Key ~ ~ Study 2!!!. Thoma. translated from
the Italian of Olgiati by Zybura. Herder Book Co., St. Louis, 1929,.p. 441
For S •• Thomas, the supreme principles of thought and reality stand
in intimate relation to the metaphysical concept. of being.
Note: The theme of this entire treati.e is that the "key" to the
understanding of St. Thomas' philosophy is an understanding of his conoept
of being.