Natural Knowledge of God in the Philosophy of Saint Thomas Aquina
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and o<strong>the</strong>r ~re pertections ot <strong>the</strong> creature and <strong>of</strong> <strong>God</strong>. lS .'<br />
Denialot proportional or analogioal unity leads to one ot several<br />
positions. One _y deny that <strong>the</strong>re is unity <strong>of</strong> any k<strong>in</strong>d ei<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong> th<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
or <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> l<strong>in</strong>d.<br />
this reduces <strong>the</strong> value ot names to that ot a c01llllon<br />
"ticket- S\nd<strong>in</strong>g impartially tor any membe~ ~t <strong>the</strong> olass. <strong>Knowledge</strong> is<br />
accord<strong>in</strong>gl'restricted to <strong>the</strong> s<strong>in</strong>gular, as apprehended by <strong>in</strong>diTidual s.ns.-<br />
impression •• Knowledg. ot this type does not p.r..1t U8 to name <strong>God</strong> trom<br />
creatures; strictly speak<strong>in</strong>g, !! d.nies ~ ~owledg. ot creatures.<br />
It unity is uph.ld, but!!.!. tormation ~!!!!~, construct.d <strong>in</strong>dep.ndently<br />
~r<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs, <strong>the</strong>n knowledge is purely subjectiv.; s<strong>in</strong>e. it lacks objectiv.<br />
tO~dation<br />
....<br />
it implicitly deni.s to th<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>the</strong> power ot communioat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to <strong>the</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d knowledge ot <strong>the</strong>msalTes or ot <strong>the</strong>ir )faker.<br />
PrOPcntional unity may be deni.d <strong>in</strong> tavor ot absolute unity. In that<br />
cas., predioations made ot both oreatures and <strong>God</strong> are univocal and .... are<br />
brought to~e n.cessity ot identity<strong>in</strong>g <strong>God</strong> with His creature. and creatures<br />
with <strong>God</strong>.<br />
In tht.taphY'.ic <strong>of</strong> St. 111oma8 Aqu<strong>in</strong>as, <strong>the</strong> proportional unity ot analogical<br />
prt~ication holds a position midway betwe.n <strong>the</strong> d.nial ot unity ...<br />
(.quivocation) and <strong>the</strong> olai. tor absolute unity (univocity).16 It is <strong>the</strong><br />
58<br />
l'Ph.lm" Dr. G. B., St. Thoma. and Analogy, Marqu.tte Univ.rsity Pre ..<br />
Jlil_ukee, 1~4l, p. 39, ttT - I<br />
111emalogy ot proper proportionality alone accounts tor <strong>the</strong> diversity<br />
ot be~g. and <strong>the</strong>ir unity <strong>in</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g •••• 1h. basis <strong>of</strong> cl<strong>in</strong>rsity <strong>in</strong> be<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
is <strong>the</strong> diT1lion ot be<strong>in</strong>g bY' potencY' and aot--exi.t.noe (.ss.) ts diversitied<br />
by ess.nce (ot torm) and <strong>in</strong> b.<strong>in</strong>gs <strong>in</strong> whioh <strong>the</strong>re i. tiTerslty with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
•••• no. thlt div.rsity is caus.d by <strong>the</strong> co.position ot matter and torm •••<br />
Diversity nsults trom <strong>the</strong> .anitold limitations ot act by potenoy •••• it i8<br />
this ana1o~ ot prop.r proportionality which gives validity to all positive<br />
predicatiomwlth re.pect to <strong>God</strong> <strong>in</strong> Whoa all p.rt.otions .ubsist <strong>in</strong>tr<strong>in</strong>sioally<br />
and tOJ'ltlly.<br />
l6St. boma., Summa <strong>the</strong>ologica, I a, q. 13, art. 5, cor. I<br />
•• ·~ls mode <strong>of</strong> community <strong>of</strong> idea is a mean betwe.n pure .quivocation<br />
and .impl.~ivocation. For, <strong>in</strong> analogies <strong>the</strong> id.a i. not, a. it is <strong>in</strong> u<br />
nivocals, qe and <strong>the</strong> same, yet it is not totally diverse as <strong>in</strong> equivocals.
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