Whether the Rational Soul Is Produced by God Immediately?
Objection 1: It would seem that the rational soul is not immediately
made by God, but by the instrumentality of the angels. For spiritual
things have more order than corporeal things. But inferior bodies are
produced by means of the superior, as Dionysius says (Div. Nom. iv).
Therefore also the inferior spirits, who are the rational souls, are
produced by means of the superior spirits, the angels.
Obj. 2: Further, the end corresponds to the beginning of things; for
God is the beginning and end of all. Therefore the issue of things
from their beginning corresponds to the forwarding of them to their
end. But "inferior things are forwarded by the higher," as Dionysius
says (Eccl. Hier. v); therefore also the inferior are produced into
existence by the higher, and souls by angels.
Obj. 3: Further, "perfect is that which can produce its like," as is
stated _Metaph._ v. But spiritual substances are much more perfect
than corporeal. Therefore, since bodies produce their like in their
own species, much more are angels able to produce something
specifically inferior to themselves; and such is the rational soul.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Gen. 2:7) that God Himself
"breathed into the face of man the breath of life."
_I answer that,_ Some have held that angels, acting by the power of
God, produce rational souls. But this is quite impossible, and is
against faith. For it has been proved that the rational soul cannot
be produced except by creation. Now, God alone can create; for the
first agent alone can act without presupposing the existence of
anything; while the second cause always presupposes something derived
from the first cause, as above explained (Q. 75, A. 3): and every
agent, that presupposes something to its act, acts by making a change
therein. Therefore everything else acts by producing a change,
whereas God alone acts by creation. Since, therefore, the rational
soul cannot be produced by a change in matter, it cannot be produced,
save immediately by God.
Thus the replies to the objections are clear. For that bodies produce
their like or something inferior to themselves, and that the higher
things lead forward the inferior--all these things are effected
through a certain transmutation.
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