Whether the Intellectual Virtues Remain After This Life?
Objection 1: It would seem that the intellectual virtues do not
remain after this life. For the Apostle says (1 Cor. 13:8, 9) that
"knowledge shall be destroyed," and he states the reason to be
because "we know in part." Now just as the knowledge of science is in
part, i.e. imperfect; so also is the knowledge of the other
intellectual virtues, as long as this life lasts. Therefore all the
intellectual virtues will cease after this life.
Obj. 2: Further, the Philosopher says (Categor. vi) that since
science is a habit, it is a quality difficult to remove: for it is
not easily lost, except by reason of some great change or sickness.
But no bodily change is so great as that of death. Therefore science
and the other intellectual virtues do not remain after death.
Obj. 3: Further, the intellectual virtues perfect the intellect so
that it may perform its proper act well. Now there seems to be no act
of the intellect after this life, since "the soul understands nothing
without a phantasm" (De Anima iii, text. 30); and, after this life,
the phantasms do not remain, since their only subject is an organ of
the body. Therefore the intellectual virtues do not remain after this
life.
_On the contrary,_ The knowledge of what is universal and necessary
is more constant than that of particular and contingent things. Now
the knowledge of contingent particulars remains in man after this
life; for instance, the knowledge of what one has done or suffered,
according to Luke 16:25: "Son, remember that thou didst receive good
things in thy life-time, and likewise Lazarus evil things." Much
more, therefore, does the knowledge of universal and necessary things
remain, which belong to science and the other intellectual virtues.
_I answer that,_ As stated in the First Part (Q. 79, A. 6) some have
held that the intelligible species do not remain in the passive
intellect except when it actually understands; and that so long as
actual consideration ceases, the species are not preserved save in
the sensitive powers which are acts of bodily organs, viz. in the
powers of imagination and memory. Now these powers cease when the
body is corrupted: and consequently, according to this opinion,
neither science nor any other intellectual virtue will remain after
this life when once the body is corrupted.
But this opinion is contrary to the mind of Aristotle, who states (De
Anima iii, text. 8) that "the possible intellect is in act when it is
identified with each thing as knowing it; and yet, even then, it is
in potentiality to consider it actually." It is also contrary to
reason, because intelligible species are contained by the "possible"
intellect immovably, according to the mode of their container. Hence
the "possible" intellect is called "the abode of the species" (De
Anima iii) because it preserves the intelligible species.
And yet the phantasms, by turning to which man understands in this
life, by applying the intelligible species to them as stated in the
First Part (Q. 84, A. 7; Q. 85, A. 1, ad 5), cease as soon as the
body is corrupted. Hence, so far as the phantasms are concerned,
which are the quasi-material element in the intellectual virtues,
these latter cease when the body is destroyed: but as regards the
intelligible species, which are in the "possible" intellect, the
intellectual virtues remain. Now the species are the quasi-formal
element of the intellectual virtues. Therefore these remain after
this life, as regards their formal element, just as we have stated
concerning the moral virtues (A. 1).
Reply Obj. 1: The saying of the Apostle is to be understood as
referring to the material element in science, and to the mode of
understanding; because, to it, neither do the phantasms remain, when
the body is destroyed; nor will science be applied by turning to the
phantasms.
Reply Obj. 2: Sickness destroys the habit of science as to its
material element, viz. the phantasms, but not as to the intelligible
species, which are in the "possible" intellect.
Reply Obj. 3: As stated in the First Part (Q. 89, A. 1), the
separated soul has a mode of understanding, other than by turning to
the phantasms. Consequently science remains, yet not as to the same
mode of operation; as we have stated concerning the moral virtues
(A. 1).
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