Whether There Is Only Intellectual Knowledge in the Angels?
Objection 1: It would seem that the knowledge of the angels is not
exclusively intellectual. For Augustine says (De Civ. Dei viii) that
in the angels there is "life which understands and feels." Therefore
there is a sensitive faculty in them as well.
Obj. 2: Further, Isidore says (De Summo Bono) that the angels have
learnt many things by experience. But experience comes of many
remembrances, as stated in _Metaph._ i, 1. Consequently they have
likewise a power of memory.
Obj. 3: Further, Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv) that there is a sort
of "perverted phantasy" in the demons. But phantasy belongs to the
imaginative faculty. Therefore the power of the imagination is in the
demons; and for the same reason it is in the angels, since they are
of the same nature.
_On the contrary,_ Gregory says (Hom. 29 in Ev.), that "man senses
in common with the brutes, and understands with the angels."
_I answer that,_ In our soul there are certain powers whose operations
are exercised by corporeal organs; such powers are acts of sundry
parts of the body, as sight of the eye, and hearing of the ear. There
are some other powers of the soul whose operations are not performed
through bodily organs, as intellect and will: these are not acts of
any parts of the body. Now the angels have no bodies naturally joined
to them, as is manifest from what has been said already (Q. 51, A. 1).
Hence of the soul's powers only intellect and will can belong to them.
The Commentator (Metaph. xii) says the same thing, namely, that the
separated substances are divided into intellect and will. And it is in
keeping with the order of the universe for the highest intellectual
creature to be entirely intelligent; and not in part, as is our soul.
For this reason the angels are called "intellects" and "minds," as was
said above (A. 3, ad 1).
A twofold answer can be returned to the contrary objections. First,
it may be replied that those authorities are speaking according to
the opinion of such men as contended that angels and demons have
bodies naturally united to them. Augustine often makes use of this
opinion in his books, although he does not mean to assert it; hence
he says (De Civ. Dei xxi) that "such an inquiry does not call for
much labor." Secondly, it may be said that such authorities and the
like are to be understood by way of similitude. Because, since sense
has a sure apprehension of its proper sensible object, it is a common
usage of speech, when we understand something for certain, to say
that we "sense it." And hence it is that we use the word "sentence."
Experience can be attributed to the angels according to the likeness
of the things known, although not by likeness of the faculty knowing
them. We have experience when we know single objects through the
senses: the angels likewise know single objects, as we shall show (Q.
57, A. 2), yet not through the senses. But memory can be allowed in
the angels, according as Augustine (De Trin. x) puts it in the mind;
although it cannot belong to them in so far as it is a part of the
sensitive soul. In like fashion 'a perverted phantasy' is attributed
to demons, since they have a false practical estimate of what is the
true good; while deception in us comes properly from the phantasy,
whereby we sometimes hold fast to images of things as to the things
themselves, as is manifest in sleepers and lunatics.
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