Single Idea 9096

[catalogued under 18. Thought / E. Abstraction / 8. Abstractionism Critique]

Full Idea

The agent mind must itself turn to images, and produce by its own power in the receptive mind a representation as to species of whatever the images represent as individual.

Gist of Idea

The mind must produce by its own power an image of the individual species

Source

Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], Ch.5 Q85.1)

Book Reference

Aquinas,Thomas: 'Summa Theologicae (Concise)', ed/tr. McDermott,Timothy [Christian Classics 1991], p.134


A Reaction

Unlike much of this section, this sentence supports Geach's claim that Aquinas agrees with him - that the mind creates its concepts, rather than 'abstracting' them from experience.