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Single Idea 1859
[filed under theme 26. Natural Theory / C. Causation / 9. General Causation / d. Causal necessity
]
Full Idea
Even a sufficient cause doesn't always compel its effect, since it can sometimes be interfered with so that its effect doesn't happen
Gist of Idea
Even a sufficient cause doesn't compel its effect, because interference could interrupt the process
Source
Thomas Aquinas (Quaestiones Disputatae de Malo [1271], Q6.h to 15)
Book Ref
Aquinas,Thomas: 'Selected Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. McDermott,Timothy [OUP 1993], p.182
The
109 ideas
from Thomas Aquinas
22115
|
Wise people should contemplate and discuss the truth, and fight against falsehood
[Aquinas]
|
15202
|
Eternity coexists with passing time, as the centre of a circle coexists with its circumference
[Aquinas]
|
20700
|
Without God's influence every operation would stop, so God causes everything
[Aquinas]
|
13090
|
The principle of diversity for corporeal substances is their matter
[Aquinas, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
|
13070
|
If definitions must be general, and general terms can't individuate, then Socrates can't be defined
[Aquinas, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne]
|
11205
|
If the form of 'human' contains 'many', Socrates isn't human; if it contains 'one', Socrates is Plato
[Aquinas]
|
11206
|
The mind constructs complete attributions, based on the unified elements of the real world
[Aquinas]
|
11207
|
A cause can exist without its effect, but the effect cannot exist without its cause
[Aquinas]
|
11208
|
A simple substance is its own essence
[Aquinas]
|
11196
|
Essence is something in common between the natures which sort things into categories
[Aquinas]
|
11198
|
Definition of essence makes things understandable
[Aquinas]
|
11197
|
The definitions expressing identity are used to sort things
[Aquinas]
|
11195
|
If affirmative propositions express being, we affirm about what is absent
[Aquinas]
|
11201
|
Properties have an incomplete essence, with definitions referring to their subject
[Aquinas]
|
11200
|
The definition of a physical object must include the material as well as the form
[Aquinas]
|
11202
|
It is by having essence that things exist
[Aquinas]
|
11203
|
Specific individual essence is defined by material, and generic essence is defined by form
[Aquinas]
|
22101
|
Philosophy aims to know the truth about the way things are
[Aquinas]
|
16655
|
Different genera are delimited by modes of predication, which rest on modes of being
[Aquinas]
|
1863
|
If the soul achieves well-being in another life, it doesn't follow that I do
[Aquinas]
|
22109
|
The fullest knowledge places a conclusion within an accurate theory
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
17555
|
'One' can mean undivided and not a multitude, or it can add measurement, giving number
[Aquinas]
|
16766
|
One thing needs a single thing to unite it; if there were two forms, something must unite them
[Aquinas]
|
1846
|
The will can only want what it thinks is good
[Aquinas]
|
1847
|
The will must aim at happiness, but can choose the means
[Aquinas]
|
1848
|
We are coerced into assent to a truth by reason's violence
[Aquinas]
|
1856
|
Nothing can be willed except what is good, but good is very varied, and so choices are unpredictable
[Aquinas]
|
1857
|
We don't have to will even perfect good, because we can choose not to think of it
[Aquinas]
|
1858
|
The mind is compelled by necessary truths, but not by contingent truths
[Aquinas]
|
1859
|
Even a sufficient cause doesn't compel its effect, because interference could interrupt the process
[Aquinas]
|
1860
|
Knowledge may be based on senses, but we needn't sense all our knowledge
[Aquinas]
|
1861
|
The will is not compelled to move, even if pleasant things are set before it
[Aquinas]
|
1862
|
However habituated you are, given time to ponder you can go against a habit
[Aquinas]
|
1854
|
We must admit that when the will is not willing something, the first movement to will must come from outside the will
[Aquinas]
|
1855
|
If we saw something as totally and utterly good, we would be compelled to will it
[Aquinas]
|
1852
|
For the mind Good is one truth among many, and Truth is one good among many
[Aquinas]
|
1853
|
Because the will moves by examining alternatives, it doesn't compel itself to will
[Aquinas]
|
1850
|
Without free will not only is ethical action meaningless, but also planning, commanding, praising and blaming
[Aquinas]
|
1851
|
Good applies to goals, just as truth applies to ideas in the mind
[Aquinas]
|
1849
|
Since will is a reasoning power, it can entertain opposites, so it is not compelled to embrace one of them
[Aquinas]
|
22104
|
Truth is the conformity of being to intellect
[Aquinas]
|
22103
|
Being is basic to thought, and all other concepts are additions to being
[Aquinas]
|
22168
|
Minds take in a likeness of things, which activates an awaiting potential
[Aquinas]
|
22169
|
Initial universal truths are present within us as potential, to be drawn out by reason
[Aquinas]
|
22170
|
Senses grasp external properties, but the understanding grasps the essential natures of things
[Aquinas]
|
16641
|
Whiteness does not exist, but by it something can exist-as-white
[Aquinas]
|
16711
|
Heretics should be eradicated like wolves
[Aquinas]
|
22102
|
Arguing with opponents uncovers truths, and restrains falsehoods
[Aquinas]
|
22111
|
Aquinas attributes freedom to decisions and judgements, and not to the will alone
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
5508
|
Aquinas says a fertilized egg is not human, and has no immortal soul
[Aquinas, by Martin/Barresi]
|
5614
|
If you assume that there must be a necessary being, you can't say which being has this quality
[Kant on Aquinas]
|
20211
|
Life aims at the Beatific Vision - of perfect happiness, and revealed truth
[Aquinas, by Zagzebski]
|
22106
|
Aquinas saw angels as separated forms, rather than as made of 'spiritual matter'
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
8009
|
Aquinas wanted, not to escape desire, but to transform it for moral ends
[Aquinas, by MacIntyre]
|
22107
|
Sensations are transmitted to 'internal senses' in the brain, chiefly to 'phantasia' and 'imagination'
[Aquinas, by Kretzmann/Stump]
|
21251
|
We can't know God's essence, so his existence can't be self-evident for us
[Aquinas]
|
21249
|
Some things are self-evident to us; others are only self-evident in themselves
[Aquinas]
|
21250
|
A proposition is self-evident if the predicate is included in the essence of the subject
[Aquinas]
|
21248
|
If the existence of truth is denied, the 'Truth does not exist' must be true!
[Aquinas]
|
9092
|
Abstracting A from B generates truth, as long as the connection is not denied
[Aquinas]
|
9093
|
We understand the general nature of things by ignoring individual peculiarities
[Aquinas]
|
9097
|
The mind abstracts generalities from images, but also uses images for understanding
[Aquinas]
|
9095
|
Very general ideas (being, oneness, potentiality) can be abstracted from thought matter in general
[Aquinas]
|
9096
|
The mind must produce by its own power an image of the individual species
[Aquinas]
|
9094
|
Mathematical objects abstract both from perceived matter, and from particular substance
[Aquinas]
|
9099
|
Particular instances come first, and (pace Plato) generalisations are abstracted from them
[Aquinas]
|
9098
|
Mental activity combines what we sense with imagination of what is not present
[Aquinas]
|
15812
|
Being implies distinctness, which implies division, unity, and multitude
[Aquinas]
|
23306
|
Humans have a non-physical faculty of reason, so they can be immortal
[Aquinas, by Sorabji]
|
22399
|
Temperance prevents our passions from acting against reason
[Aquinas]
|
22112
|
For humans good is accordance with reason, and bad is contrary to reason
[Aquinas]
|
22114
|
Tyrannical laws are irrational, and so not really laws
[Aquinas]
|
22113
|
Right and wrong actions pertain to natural law, as perceived by practical reason
[Aquinas]
|
16687
|
Bodies are three-dimensional substances
[Aquinas]
|
16765
|
Humans only have a single substantial form, which contains the others and acts for them
[Aquinas]
|
21337
|
A knowing being possesses a further reality, the 'presence' of the thing known
[Aquinas]
|
21266
|
God does not exist, because He is infinite and good, and so no evil should be discoverable
[Aquinas]
|
21274
|
It is part of God's supreme goodness that He brings good even out of evil
[Aquinas]
|
21268
|
Non-human things are explicable naturally, and voluntary things by the will, so God is not needed
[Aquinas]
|
21267
|
Supposing many principles is superfluous if a few will do it
[Aquinas]
|
21269
|
Way 1: the infinite chain of potential-to-actual movement has to have a first mover
[Aquinas]
|
21270
|
Way 2: no effect without a cause, and this cannot go back to infinity, so there is First Cause
[Aquinas]
|
21271
|
Way 3: contingent beings eventually vanish, so continuity needs a necessary being
[Aquinas]
|
21272
|
Way 4: the source of all qualities is their maximum, so something (God) causes all perfections
[Aquinas]
|
21273
|
Way 5: mindless things act towards an obvious end, so there is an intelligent director
[Aquinas]
|
22105
|
The human intellectual soul is an incorporeal, subsistent principle
[Aquinas]
|
22108
|
First grasp what it is, then its essential features; judgement is their compounding and division
[Aquinas]
|
7291
|
For Aquinas a war must be in a just cause, have proper authority, and aim at good
[Aquinas, by Grayling]
|
23173
|
If a syllogism admits one absurdity, others must follow
[Aquinas]
|
20224
|
Sensation prepares the way for intellectual knowledge, which needs the virtues of reason
[Aquinas]
|
23174
|
Natural law is a rational creature's participation in eternal law
[Aquinas]
|
23175
|
The conclusions of speculative reason about necessities are certain
[Aquinas]
|
23176
|
Truth is universal, but knowledge of it is not
[Aquinas]
|
4412
|
Those in bliss have their happiness increased by seeing the damned punished
[Aquinas]
|
22494
|
We must know the end, know that it is the end, and know how to attain it
[Aquinas]
|
23177
|
Justice directs our relations with others, because it denotes a kind of equality
[Aquinas]
|
23178
|
Divine law commands some things because they are good, while others are good because commanded
[Aquinas]
|
23179
|
People differ in their social degrees, and a particular type of right applies to each
[Aquinas]
|
23180
|
The will is the rational appetite
[Aquinas]
|
23181
|
All acts of virtue relate to justice, which is directed towards the common good
[Aquinas]
|
23182
|
Legal justice is supreme, because it directs the other virtues to the common good
[Aquinas]
|
20621
|
Types of lying: Speak lies, intend lies, intend deception, aim at deceptive goal?
[Aquinas, by Tuckness/Wolf]
|
10505
|
We can just think of an apple's colour, because the apple is not part of the colour's nature
[Aquinas]
|
10504
|
Abstracting either treats something as separate, or thinks of it separately
[Aquinas]
|
10503
|
We abstract forms from appearances, and acquire knowledge of immaterial things
[Aquinas]
|
10507
|
Numbers and shapes are abstracted by ignoring their sensible qualities
[Aquinas]
|
10506
|
Mathematics can be abstracted from sensible matter, and from individual intelligible matter
[Aquinas]
|
10508
|
Species are abstracted from appearances by ignoring individual conditions
[Aquinas]
|
10509
|
Understanding consists entirely of grasping abstracted species
[Aquinas]
|