Whether the Separated Soul Understands Separate Substances?
Objection 1: It would seem that the separated soul does not
understand separate substances. For the soul is more perfect when
joined to the body than when existing apart from it, being an
essential part of human nature; and every part of a whole is more
perfect when it exists in that whole. But the soul in the body does
not understand separate substances as shown above (Q. 88, A. 1).
Therefore much less is it able to do so when apart from the body.
Obj. 2: Further, whatever is known is known either by its presence or
by its species. But separate substances cannot be known to the soul
by their presence, for God alone can enter into the soul; nor by
means of species abstracted by the soul from an angel, for an angel
is more simple than a soul. Therefore the separated soul cannot at
all understand separate substances.
Obj. 3: Further, some philosophers said that the ultimate happiness
of man consists in the knowledge of separate substances. If,
therefore, the separated soul can understand separate substances, its
happiness would be secured by its separation alone; which cannot be
reasonably be said.
_On the contrary,_ Souls apart from the body know other separated
souls; as we see in the case of the rich man in hell, who saw Lazarus
and Abraham (Luke 16:23). Therefore separated souls see the devils
and the angels.
_I answer that,_ Augustine says (De Trin. ix, 3), "our mind acquires
the knowledge of incorporeal things by itself"--i.e. by knowing
itself (Q. 88, A. 1, ad 1). Therefore from the knowledge which the
separated soul has of itself, we can judge how it knows other
separate things. Now it was said above (A. 1), that as long as it is
united to the body the soul understands by turning to phantasms, and
therefore it does not understand itself save through becoming
actually intelligent by means of ideas abstracted from phantasms;
for thus it understands itself through its own act, as shown above
(Q. 87, A. 1). When, however, it is separated from the body, it
understands no longer by turning to phantasms, but by turning to
simply intelligible objects; hence in that state it understands
itself through itself. Now, every separate substance "understands
what is above itself and what is below itself, according to the mode
of its substance" (De Causis viii): for a thing is understood
according as it is in the one who understands; while one thing is in
another according to the nature of that in which it is. And the mode
of existence of a separated soul is inferior to that of an angel, but
is the same as that of other separated souls. Therefore the soul
apart from the body has perfect knowledge of other separated souls,
but it has an imperfect and defective knowledge of the angels so far
as its natural knowledge is concerned. But the knowledge of glory is
otherwise.
Reply Obj. 1: The separated soul is, indeed, less perfect considering
its nature in which it communicates with the nature of the body: but
it has a greater freedom of intelligence, since the weight and care
of the body is a clog upon the clearness of its intelligence in the
present life.
Reply Obj. 2: The separated soul understands the angels by means of
divinely impressed ideas; which, however, fail to give perfect
knowledge of them, forasmuch as the nature of the soul is inferior to
that of an angel.
Reply Obj. 3: Man's ultimate happiness consists not in the knowledge
of any separate substances; but in the knowledge of God, Who is seen
only by grace. The knowledge of other separate substances if
perfectly understood gives great happiness--not final and ultimate
happiness. But the separated soul does not understand them perfectly,
as was shown above in this article.
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