Thursday, January 21, 2010

A Strange Tribute to St Thomas

So...the other day, the professor assigned the following paper (a purely hypothetical scenario, I assure you):

In your own words, refute all the objections laid out in the Summa.
Due: in one week
Word limit: none

One of the students submitted this:

Question 1, article 1: Whether it is possible to refute all of the objections laid out in the Summa

I answer that, an action is said to be impossible in two ways: first, in itself, that is, as regards its object, and in this way it is impossible for one to know everything as God does; second, as regards the one performing it; for instance, due to a lack of time or ability. In itself, the refutation of all the objections is possible, as is evident from the fact that St. Thomas has done it. But it is impossible as regards the one performing it, and this for two reasons. First, it would take an ordinary human being with an average intelligence much longer than the time given (i.e., a week), and, second, most humans are too unintelligent (stulti) for such an undertaking, that is, they lack the ability of St. Thomas to sufficiently grasp all the concepts and transmit them adequately in their own words. Thus, due to the fallibility of most human beings as regards knowledge and the ability to communicate it, and due to their inability to finish it within such a short period of time, the project of refuting all of the objections laid out in the Summa is deemed impossible.

:)

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