Ontology, or the Theory of BeingCoffey, P. (Peter)
Philosophy
Ontology, or the Theory of Being
Coffey, P. (Peter)
Ontology
“It might still be objected that the one single being of which we
may affirm life primarily and principally, ought to be not human
life, but absolute life. And between this divine life and the life
of all other beings there is a relation of dependence, which
reaches even to the very existence of life in these other beings.
In fact all life depends on the absolute life, not indeed in the
way accident depends on substance, but in a manner no less real
and far more excellent. This is entirely true; but what are we to
conclude from it if not precisely this, which scholasticism
teaches: that the perfections found in the various species of
creatures can be affirmed of these in the same sense (_univocé_),
but that they can be affirmed of God and creatures only
analogically?”
“From all of which we can understand why it is that in regard to
genera and species the analogy is in the things but not in our
thoughts, while in regard to substance and accidents it is both in
the things and in our thoughts: a difference which rests not
solely on our manner of conceiving things, nor _a fortiori_ on
mere caprice or fancy, but which has its basis in the very nature
of the things themselves. For though in the former case there is a
certain analogy in the things themselves, inasmuch as the same
nature, that of the genus, is realized in the species in different
ways, still, as we have seen, that is not sufficient, without the
relation of dependence, to yield a basis for analogy in our
thoughts. For it is precisely because accident, as a determination
of substance, presupposes this latter, that being cannot be
affirmed of accident except as dependent on substance.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account