Whether There Is Any Habit in the Intellect?
Objection 1: It would seem that there are no habits in the intellect.
For habits are in conformity with operations, as stated above (A. 1).
But the operations of man are common to soul and body, as stated in
_De Anima_ i, text. 64. Therefore also are habits. But the intellect
is not an act of the body (De Anima iii, text. 6). Therefore the
intellect is not the subject of a habit.
Obj. 2: Further, whatever is in a thing, is there according to the
mode of that in which it is. But that which is form without matter,
is act only: whereas what is composed of form and matter, has
potentiality and act at the same time. Therefore nothing at the same
time potential and actual can be in that which is form only, but only
in that which is composed of matter and form. Now the intellect is
form without matter. Therefore habit, which has potentiality at the
same time as act, being a sort of medium between the two, cannot be
in the intellect; but only in the _conjunction,_ which is composed of
soul and body.
Obj. 3: Further, habit is a disposition whereby we are well or ill
disposed in regard to something, as is said (Metaph. v, text. 25).
But that anyone should be well or ill disposed to an act of the
intellect is due to some disposition of the body: wherefore also it
is stated (De Anima ii, text. 94) that "we observe men with soft
flesh to be quick witted." Therefore the habits of knowledge are not
in the intellect, which is separate, but in some power which is the
act of some part of the body.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 2, 3, 10) puts
science, wisdom and understanding, which is the habit of first
principles, in the intellective part of the soul.
_I answer that,_ concerning intellective habits there have been
various opinions. Some, supposing that there was only one _possible_
[*See First Part, Q. 79, A. 2, ad 2] intellect for all men, were
bound to hold that habits of knowledge are not in the intellect
itself, but in the interior sensitive powers. For it is manifest that
men differ in habits; and so it was impossible to put the habits of
knowledge directly in that, which, being only one, would be common to
all men. Wherefore if there were but one single "possible" intellect
of all men, the habits of science, in which men differ from one
another, could not be in the "possible" intellect as their subject,
but would be in the interior sensitive powers, which differ in
various men.
Now, in the first place, this supposition is contrary to the mind of
Aristotle. For it is manifest that the sensitive powers are rational,
not by their essence, but only by participation (Ethic. i, 13). Now
the Philosopher puts the intellectual virtues, which are wisdom,
science and understanding, in that which is rational by its essence.
Wherefore they are not in the sensitive powers, but in the intellect
itself. Moreover he says expressly (De Anima iii, text. 8, 18) that
when the "possible" intellect "is thus identified with each thing,"
that is, when it is reduced to act in respect of singulars by the
intelligible species, "then it is said to be in act, as the knower is
said to be in act; and this happens when the intellect can act of
itself," i.e. by considering: "and even then it is in potentiality in
a sense; but not in the same way as before learning and discovering."
Therefore the "possible" intellect itself is the subject of the habit
of science, by which the intellect, even though it be not actually
considering, is able to consider. In the second place, this
supposition is contrary to the truth. For as to whom belongs the
operation, belongs also the power to operate, belongs also the habit.
But to understand and to consider is the proper act of the intellect.
Therefore also the habit whereby one considers is properly in the
intellect itself.
Reply Obj. 1: Some said, as Simplicius reports in his
_Commentary on the Predicaments,_ that, since every operation of man is
to a certain extent an operation of the _conjunctum,_ as the
Philosopher says (De Anima i, text. 64); therefore no habit is in the
soul only, but in the _conjunctum._ And from this it follows that no
habit is in the intellect, for the intellect is separate, as ran the
argument, given above. But the argument is not cogent. For habit is not
a disposition of the object to the power, but rather a disposition of
the power to the object: wherefore the habit needs to be in that power
which is principle of the act, and not in that which is compared to
the power as its object.
Now the act of understanding is not said to be common to soul and
body, except in respect of the phantasm, as is stated in _De Anima_,
text. 66. But it is clear that the phantasm is compared as object to
the passive intellect (De Anima iii, text. 3, 39). Whence it follows
that the intellective habit is chiefly on the part of the intellect
itself; and not on the part of the phantasm, which is common to soul
and body. And therefore we must say that the "possible" intellect is
the subject of habit, which is in potentiality to many: and this
belongs, above all, to the "possible" intellect. Wherefore the
"possible" intellect is the subject of intellectual habits.
Reply Obj. 2: As potentiality to sensible being belongs to
corporeal matter, so potentiality to intellectual being belongs to the
"possible" intellect. Wherefore nothing forbids habit to be in the
"possible" intellect, for it is midway between pure potentiality and
perfect act.
Reply Obj. 3: Because the apprehensive powers inwardly prepare
their proper objects for the _possible intellect,_ therefore it is by
the good disposition of these powers, to which the good disposition of
the body cooperates, that man is rendered apt to understand. And so in
a secondary way the intellective habit can be in these powers. But
principally it is in the "possible" intellect.
________________________