161. The Separated Soul's Knowledge of Substances and Natural Things

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Separated Soul’s Knowledge of Separated Substances (Angels) #

• The separated soul can know angels but not perfectly
• Knowledge comes through forms impressed by God, not through abstraction from images
• The soul knows other human souls perfectly (since they share the same nature)
• The soul knows angels imperfectly (since the soul’s nature is below the angel’s nature)
• This distinction is crucial: the soul is “conformed in some way” to other souls but not to angels

Two-Fold Understanding #

1. By abstraction from images (characteristic of soul united to body in this life)

   • Cannot directly know singulars
   • The soul understands itself only through knowing other things first
   • Example: understand triangle → understand what it is to understand → understand the power to understand → understand the soul

2. By influx of divine forms (characteristic of separated soul)

   • The soul understands directly through forms that flow from God
   • Does not depend on images or bodily senses
   • Is similar to how angels understand

Knowledge of Natural Things #

• The separated soul has confused, not distinct knowledge of natural things
• This knowledge is universal and general, not particular
• Demons have more vigorous natural knowledge than separated human souls
• Studying and learning in this life acquires particular and perfect knowledge that differs from the separated soul’s confused knowledge
• The fact that the separated soul will have confused knowledge does not make study in life vain

Knowledge of Singulars #

• The separated soul can know some singulars but not all
• Knowledge of singulars is limited by determination—the soul must have some relation to the singular
• Four types of determination that enable knowledge of singulars:
  1. Preceding knowledge (knowing someone in this life)
  2. Affection (love or special care for someone)
  3. Natural relation (familial bonds—parent, child, sibling)
  4. Divine ordination (God ordering the soul to know and care for someone)
• Example: A mother will know her children perfectly; St. Dominic will know Dominicans; St. Bernard will know Cistercians
• Local distance does not impede this knowledge

The Principle of Reception #

• “Whatever is received is received according to the mode of the receiver”
• The separated soul receives divine forms but not with the same strength and perfection as angels
• Therefore the soul’s understanding of these forms is imperfect and confused compared to angelic understanding

Key Arguments #

Question 2: Can the Separated Soul Know Angels? #

Objection 1: The soul is more perfect when united to the body, since the soul is naturally a part of human nature, and every part is more perfect in its whole. Therefore, if the soul united to the body cannot understand angels, the separated soul cannot either.

Objection 2: Everything known is known either through its presence or through some form. The separated substances cannot be known through presence (only God is intrinsically present to the soul). Nor through forms abstracted from angels, because you cannot abstract from something simpler than yourself; angels are more simple than the soul.

Objection 3: If the separated soul understands separated substances, then ultimate happiness would follow from separation alone, which is inconvenient.

Response:

• Thomas distinguishes: The separated soul is more imperfect in one way (considered by its communicable nature with body) but freer for understanding in another way (unburdened by the weight and occupation of body)
• Mathematics purifies the eye of the mind (Proclus); logic even more so
• The soul knows itself through its own act when separated, unlike in life when it knows itself only through knowing other things
• Through knowing itself, the soul gains a gateway to understanding angels and God
• Angels are understood through forms impressed by God, but these fall short of perfect representation because the soul’s nature is below the angel’s nature
• The soul will have natural knowledge of angels but not the perfect knowledge that angels have of themselves

Question 3: Does the Separated Soul Know All Natural Things? #

Objection 1: Separated substances contain the thoughts/notions of all natural things. The separated soul knows separated substances. Therefore, the separated soul knows all natural things.

Objection 2: What understands something more understandable is able to understand something less understandable. Angels and separated substances are most understandable; natural things are less understandable. Therefore, the separated soul understands all natural things.

Objection 3: If the separated soul knew all natural things immediately at separation, why would men bother to study?

Response:

• Angels know all natural things perfectly and distinctly because this way of knowing (through forms from God) is natural/connatural to them
• For the separated soul, this way of knowing is not connatural (their natural way in life is through images)
• Therefore the separated soul understands natural things imperfectly and confusedly
• The knowledge is common and general, not particular and certain
• The study we do in life acquires particular and perfect knowledge that differs essentially from the separated soul’s confused knowledge
• Therefore, effort in learning is not rendered vain

Question 4: Can the Separated Soul Know Singulars? #

Objection 1: The understanding does not know singulars; singulars are known through senses. The separated soul only has understanding. Therefore, the separated soul does not know singulars.

Objection 2: The separated soul does not have determined knowledge of all species of things, so much less would it know singulars.

Objection 3: If the separated soul knows singulars, and not by senses, then for the same reason it should know all singulars. But it doesn’t. Therefore, it knows none.

Counter-objection: The rich man in hell knows his five brothers; the dead appear to know singulars.

Response:

• There is a crucial difference between the two ways of understanding:
  • By abstraction from images: singularities cannot be known directly (only universals) because singularity comes from matter, which must be abstracted away
  • By influx of divine forms: the intellect can understand singulars because God’s forms are productive of matter itself, not just form
• God himself knows both universals and singulars through His essence as the cause of both
• The forms that flow from God into angels and separated souls are likenesses of the divine essence, hence they contain knowledge of singularity as well as universality
• Key difference between angels and separated souls: Angels have perfect and particular knowledge of singulars; separated souls have only confused knowledge of singulars
• The soul is “determined” to certain singulars: through preceding knowledge, affection, natural relation, or divine ordination
• The soul cannot know all singulars; it can only know those to which it has some determination

Important Definitions #

Influx of Divine Forms (Influentia divinae lucis) #

• The way knowledge comes to separated substances from God
• These forms are not derived from things (as abstracted forms are) but are likenesses partaken of the divine essence itself
• They are productive of the whole creature—both its universal nature and its individual existence

Determination (Determinatio) #

• The condition necessary for the separated soul to have knowledge of particular singulars
• Requires some relation or attachment to the singular
• Can be: knowledge in life, affection, natural relation, or divine ordination

Confused Knowledge (Cognitio confusa) #

• General, universal knowledge without particular details
• The separated soul’s mode of knowing natural things
• Contrasts with the particular, distinct knowledge acquired through study in life

Connatural (Connaturale) #

• A way of knowing that is natural to a being by its nature
• Angels naturally know through forms from God
• Humans naturally know through turning toward images

Examples & Illustrations #

The Rich Man in Hell (Luke 16) #

• Knew Lazarus and Abraham
• Wanted to warn his five brothers
• Shows that separated souls have knowledge of some singulars but not all

St. John Bosco and His Seminarian Friend #

• Made an agreement that whoever died first would return to tell of salvation
• The departed friend appeared in light saying “I am saved!”
• Illustrates knowledge based on preceding knowledge and affection for a particular person
• Shows a mother’s concern for her departed son; mothers sometimes feel when sons die on distant battlefields

Caring for Religious Orders #

• St. Dominic: “I’ll be more useful to you on the other side than in this life”
• St. Dominic undoubtedly watches over all Dominicans
• Bernard of Clairvaux watches over the Cistercians
• Divine ordering maintains these relations between founder and order

Study and Particular Knowledge #

• Observer of cats: acquires particular knowledge of that specific cat
• In separated state: would have confused knowledge of horses (lacking experience)
• Entomologist: has distinct knowledge of many insects through study; general person has only confused knowledge of insects

Questions Addressed #

Can the separated soul understand separated substances (angels)? #

• Yes, but only imperfectly
• Through forms impressed by God, not through abstraction
• Perfect knowledge of other human souls; imperfect knowledge of angels

Does the separated soul know all natural things? #

• No, only in a confused and general way
• Angels know all natural things perfectly; separated souls know them confusedly
• Study in life produces particular knowledge distinct from the confused knowledge in the separated state

Can the separated soul know singulars? #

• Yes, but only some singulars, not all
• Knowledge requires determination through: preceding knowledge, affection, natural relation, or divine ordination
• The separated soul is not equally related to all singulars

Notable Distinctions #

Soul’s Perfection: Two Senses #

• Simply (simpliciter): The soul is more perfect united to body (fulfills its natural function as form of body)
• In respect to understanding: The soul is freed/purer for understanding when separated (unburdened by bodily weight and occupation)
• These are not contradictory; they refer to different aspects of perfection

Knowledge in Two States of Soul #

• United to body: Turns toward images; understands through abstraction; knows itself indirectly through other things
• Separated from body: Turns toward intelligible forms from God; understands directly; knows itself through its own act (like angels)

Angels vs. Separated Human Souls #

• Nature of knowing: Both receive forms from God, but this is connatural to angels, not to human souls
• Efficacy: Angels know perfectly and distinctly; separated souls know imperfectly and confusedly
• Knowledge of singulars: Angels know all singulars; separated souls know only determined singulars