Whether Man Can Attain Happiness?
Objection 1: It would seem that man cannot attain happiness. For just
as the rational is above the sensible nature, so the intellectual is
above the rational, as Dionysius declares (Div. Nom. iv, vi, vii) in
several passages. But irrational animals that have the sensitive
nature only, cannot attain the end of the rational nature. Therefore
neither can man, who is of rational nature, attain the end of the
intellectual nature, which is Happiness.
Obj. 2: Further, True Happiness consists in seeing God, Who is pure
Truth. But from his very nature, man considers truth in material
things: wherefore "he understands the intelligible species in the
phantasm" (De Anima iii, 7). Therefore he cannot attain Happiness.
Obj. 3: Further, Happiness consists in attaining the Sovereign Good.
But we cannot arrive at the top without surmounting the middle.
Since, therefore, the angelic nature through which man cannot mount
is midway between God and human nature; it seems that he cannot
attain Happiness.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 93:12): "Blessed is the man
whom Thou shalt instruct, O Lord."
_I answer that,_ Happiness is the attainment of the Perfect Good.
Whoever, therefore, is capable of the Perfect Good can attain
Happiness. Now, that man is capable of the Perfect Good, is proved
both because his intellect can apprehend the universal and perfect
good, and because his will can desire it. And therefore man can
attain Happiness. This can be proved again from the fact that man is
capable of seeing God, as stated in the First Part (Q. 12, A. 1): in
which vision, as we stated above (Q. 3, A. 8) man's perfect Happiness
consists.
Reply Obj. 1: The rational exceeds the sensitive nature, otherwise
than the intellectual surpasses the rational. For the rational
exceeds the sensitive nature in respect of the object of its
knowledge: since the senses have no knowledge whatever of the
universal, whereas the reason has knowledge thereof. But the
intellectual surpasses the rational nature, as to the mode of knowing
the same intelligible truth: for the intellectual nature grasps
forthwith the truth which the rational nature reaches by the inquiry
of reason, as was made clear in the First Part (Q. 58, A. 3; Q. 79,
A. 8). Therefore reason arrives by a kind of movement at that which
the intellect grasps. Consequently the rational nature can attain
Happiness, which is the perfection of the intellectual nature: but
otherwise than the angels. Because the angels attained it forthwith
after the beginning of their creation: whereas man attains if after a
time. But the sensitive nature can nowise attain this end.
Reply Obj. 2: To man in the present state of life the natural way of
knowing intelligible truth is by means of phantasms. But after this
state of life, he has another natural way, as was stated in the First
Part (Q. 84, A. 7; Q. 89, A. 1).
Reply Obj. 3: Man cannot surmount the angels in the degree of nature
so as to be above them naturally. But he can surmount them by an
operation of the intellect, by understanding that there is above the
angels something that makes men happy; and when he has attained it,
he will be perfectly happy.
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