Whether an Angel Passes Through Intermediate Space?
Objection 1: It would seem that an angel does not pass through
intermediate space. For everything that passes through a middle space
first travels along a place of its own dimensions, before passing
through a greater. But the place responding to an angel, who is
indivisible, is confined to a point. Therefore if the angel passes
through middle space, he must reckon infinite points in his movement:
which is not possible.
Obj. 2: Further, an angel is of simpler substance than the soul.
But our soul by taking thought can pass from one extreme to another
without going through the middle: for I can think of France and
afterwards of Syria, without ever thinking of Italy, which stands
between them. Therefore much more can an angel pass from one
extreme to another without going through the middle.
_On the contrary,_ If the angel be moved from one place to another,
then, when he is in the term "whither," he is no longer in motion, but
is changed. But a process of changing precedes every actual change:
consequently he was being moved while existing in some place. But he
was not moved so long as he was in the term "whence." Therefore, he
was moved while he was in mid-space: and so it was necessary for him
to pass through intervening space.
_I answer that,_ As was observed above in the preceding article, the
local motion of an angel can be continuous, and non-continuous. If it
be continuous, the angel cannot pass from one extreme to another
without passing through the mid-space; because, as is said by the
Philosopher (Phys. v, text 22; vi, text 77), "The middle is that into
which a thing which is continually moved comes, before arriving at the
last into which it is moved"; because the order of first and last in
continuous movement, is according to the order of the first and last
in magnitude, as he says (Phys. iv, text 99).
But if an angel's movement be not continuous, it is possible for him
to pass from one extreme to another without going through the middle:
which is evident thus. Between the two extreme limits there are
infinite intermediate places; whether the places be taken as divisible
or as indivisible. This is clearly evident with regard to places which
are indivisible; because between every two points that are infinite
intermediate points, since no two points follow one another without a
middle, as is proved in Phys. vi, text. 1. And the same must of
necessity be said of divisible places: and this is shown from the
continuous movement of a body. For a body is not moved from place to
place except in time. But in the whole time which measures the
movement of a body, there are not two "nows" in which the body moved
is not in one place and in another; for if it were in one and the same
place in two "nows," it would follow that it would be at rest there;
since to be at rest is nothing else than to be in the same place now
and previously. Therefore since there are infinite "nows" between the
first and the last "now" of the time which measures the movement,
there must be infinite places between the first from which the
movement begins, and the last where the movement ceases. This again is
made evident from sensible experience. Let there be a body of a palm's
length, and let there be a plane measuring two palms, along which it
travels; it is evident that the first place from which the movement
starts is that of the one palm; and the place wherein the movement
ends is that of the other palm. Now it is clear that when it begins to
move, it gradually quits the first palm and enters the second.
According, then, as the magnitude of the palm is divided, even so are
the intermediate places multiplied; because every distinct point in
the magnitude of the first palm is the beginning of a place, and a
distinct point in the magnitude of the other palm is the limit of the
same. Accordingly, since magnitude is infinitely divisible and the
points in every magnitude are likewise infinite in potentiality, it
follows that between every two places there are infinite intermediate
places.
Now a movable body only exhausts the infinity of the intermediate
places by the continuity of its movement; because, as the
intermediate places are infinite in potentiality, so likewise must
there be reckoned some infinitudes in movement which is continuous.
Consequently, if the movement be not continuous, then all the parts
of the movement will be actually numbered. If, therefore, any movable
body be moved, but not by continuous movement, it follows, either
that it does not pass through all the intermediate places, or else
that it actually numbers infinite places: which is not possible.
Accordingly, then, as the angel's movement is not continuous, he does
not pass through all intermediate places.
Now, the actual passing from one extreme to the other, without going
through the mid-space, is quite in keeping with an angel's nature;
but not with that of a body, because a body is measured by and
contained under a place; hence it is bound to follow the laws of
place in its movement. But an angel's substance is not subject to
place as contained thereby, but is above it as containing it: hence
it is under his control to apply himself to a place just as he wills,
either through or without the intervening place.
Reply Obj. 1: The place of an angel is not taken as equal to him
according to magnitude, but according to contact of power: and so the
angel's place can be divisible, and is not always a mere point. Yet
even the intermediate divisible places are infinite, as was said
above: but they are consumed by the continuity of the movement, as is
evident from the foregoing.
Reply Obj. 2: While an angel is moved locally, his essence is applied
to various places: but the soul's essence is not applied to the
things thought of, but rather the things thought of are in it. So
there is no comparison.
Reply Obj. 3: In continuous movement the actual change is not a part
of the movement, but its conclusion; hence movement must precede
change. Accordingly such movement is through the mid-space. But in
movement which is not continuous, the change is a part, as a unit is
a part of number: hence the succession of the various places, even
without the mid-space, constitutes such movement.
_______________________