Sunday, May 26, 2013

Aquinas for May XXVI

Homo, secundum diversa cognita, habet diversas cognitiones, nam secundum quod cognoscit principia, dicitur habere intelligentiam; scientiam vero, secundum quod cognoscit conclusiones; sapientiam, secundum quod cognoscit causam altissimam; consilium vel prudentiam, secundum quod cognoscit agibilia. Sed haec omnia Deus una et simplici cognitione cognoscit....Unde simplex Dei cognitio omnibus istis nominibus nominari potest....

"Man, with respect to diverse objects of cognition, has diverse cognitions; thus according as he cognizes principles, he is said to have understanding; knowledge, according as he cognizes conclusions; wisdom, according as he cognizes the highest cause; counsel or prudence, according as he cognizes do-able things. But God cognizes all these by one simple cognition....Wherefore the simple cognition of God can be named by all of these names."

Summa Theologiae Iª q. 14 a. 1 ad 2