Summa Theologica, Part I-II (Pars Prima Secundae) - From the Complete American Edition by Saint Thomas Aquinas
page 20 of 1809 (01%)
page 20 of 1809 (01%)
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of things having an essential, not an accidental, connection with one
another. But in those things which are accidentally connected, nothing hinders the reason from proceeding indefinitely. Now it is accidental to a stated quantity or number, as such, that quantity or unity be added to it. Wherefore in such like things nothing hinders the reason from an indefinite process. Reply Obj. 3: This multiplication of acts of the will reacting on itself, is accidental to the order of ends. This is clear from the fact that in regard to one and the same end, the will reacts on itself indifferently once or several times. ________________________ FIFTH ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 1, Art. 5] Whether One Man Can Have Several Last Ends? Objection 1: It would seem possible for one man's will to be directed at the same time to several things, as last ends. For Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xix, 1) that some held man's last end to consist in four things, viz. "in pleasure, repose, the gifts of nature, and virtue." But these are clearly more than one thing. Therefore one man can place the last end of his will in many things. Obj. 2: Further, things not in opposition to one another do not exclude one another. Now there are many things which are not in opposition to one another. Therefore the supposition that one thing is the last end of the will does not exclude others. Obj. 3: Further, by the fact that it places its last end in one |
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