Whether Our Intellect Knows Singulars?
Objection 1: It would seem that our intellect knows singulars. For
whoever knows composition, knows the terms of composition. But our
intellect knows this composition; "Socrates is a man": for it belongs
to the intellect to form a proposition. Therefore our intellect knows
this singular, Socrates.
Obj. 2: Further, the practical intellect directs to action. But
action has relation to singular things. Therefore the intellect knows
the singular.
Obj. 3: Further, our intellect understands itself. But in itself it
is a singular, otherwise it would have no action of its own; for
actions belong to singulars. Therefore our intellect knows singulars.
Obj. 4: Further, a superior power can do whatever is done by an
inferior power. But sense knows the singular. Much more, therefore,
can the intellect know it.
_On the contrary,_ The Philosopher says (Phys. i, 5), that "the
universal is known by reason; and the singular is known by sense."
_I answer that,_ Our intellect cannot know the singular in material
things directly and primarily. The reason of this is that the
principle of singularity in material things is individual matter,
whereas our intellect, as have said above (Q. 85, A. 1), understands
by abstracting the intelligible species from such matter. Now what is
abstracted from individual matter is the universal. Hence our
intellect knows directly the universal only. But indirectly, and as
it were by a kind of reflection, it can know the singular, because,
as we have said above (Q. 85, A. 7), even after abstracting the
intelligible species, the intellect, in order to understand, needs to
turn to the phantasms in which it understands the species, as is said
_De Anima_ iii, 7. Therefore it understands the universal directly
through the intelligible species, and indirectly the singular
represented by the phantasm. And thus it forms the proposition
"Socrates is a man." Wherefore the reply to the first objection is
clear.
Reply Obj. 2: The choice of a particular thing to be done is as the
conclusion of a syllogism formed by the practical intellect, as is
said _Ethic._ vii, 3. But a singular proposition cannot be directly
concluded from a universal proposition, except through the medium of
a singular proposition. Therefore the universal principle of the
practical intellect does not move save through the medium of the
particular apprehension of the sensitive part, as is said _De Anima_
iii, 11.
Reply Obj. 3: Intelligibility is incompatible with the singular not
as such, but as material, for nothing can be understood otherwise
than immaterially. Therefore if there be an immaterial singular such
as the intellect, there is no reason why it should not be
intelligible.
Reply Obj. 4: The higher power can do what the lower power can, but
in a more eminent way. Wherefore what the sense knows materially and
concretely, which is to know the singular directly, the intellect
knows immaterially and in the abstract, which is to know the
universal.
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