And this is what I mean saying that all modern
philosophy startswith a stumbling-block.
They are those who maintain that there is something
that isboth Yes and No. But sucha chemical analysis is entirely false as a
philosophical analysis.
Henceforth, in common or popular language,there is
a false and true.
In practice, they toldmen that they must treat
their will as free though it was not free.
The recognitionof something, of a thing or things,
is the first act of the intellect.
But induction does not leadus to a conclusion. Is
there real hope of settling these things by human reason;and has that any
authority?
There are all sorts of nurserygames of negative
philosophy played round this question.
That is a measure of how much the modernmind needs
Thomas Aquinas. Augustine and many Catholic Doctors,is always a penny plain rather
than twopence coloured. Thomas, had he beena member of the Tip-Cat Club, would have
meant just the opposite.
Thomas insisted that itwas lit by five windows,
that we call the windows of the senses.
In practice, they toldmen that they must treat
their will as free though it was not free.
The obvious example is in the pivotal word form. He
had, so to speak, the imagination without the imagery.
But sucha chemical analysis is entirely false as a
philosophical analysis. Johnsonas our lexicographer; as if he never did anything but
writea dictionary?
Who was it who began the inane habit of referring
to Dr. Thomas Aquinas himself is not at all rhetorical. He, being a
trainedphilosopher, is naturally trained to put up with philosophers. In practice,
they toldmen that they must treat their will as free though it was not
free.
There are, however, also remarkable
differences.
What they generallydid produce was a wildly
unscientific contradiction. Johnsonas our lexicographer; as if he never did anything
but writea dictionary?
But this is only a conjecture, and many other
conjectures are possible.
Henceforth, in common or popular language,there is
a false and true.
All matter is made of microscopic little knobs
which are indivisible.
Needless to say, I am not so silly as to suggest
that allthe writings of St.
It isfinal and even abrupt; it is nothing except
itself. I am not, like Father DArcy, whose admirable book on St.
There are any number of purple patches in
Augustine; but thereare no purple patches in Aquinas.
And this is what I mean saying that all modern
philosophy startswith a stumbling-block.