This is the Guided Tour of the Summa Theologiae, a project for all paid subscribers of Aquinas and Beyond. In it, we are carefully reading through St. Thomas Aquinas’s masterpiece, with help from experts on Aquinas, to think like the universal doctor of the Church. Stop feeling intimidated by Aquinas, and subscribe so you can read along!
Last week, we worked through Aquinas’s account of God’s knowledge and how God has this knowledge. This week, we will continue through this account, and get to some of the most interesting questions in this topic. Specifically, we are going to address some of the implications of God’s omniscience. Does God know things that do not exist? The future? How to make Himself do things? All addressed in these articles.
As always, here are some resources you might find helpful as we move forward:
The Summa Theologiae itself. Buy Prima Pars here, and the whole Summa here. Read it for free here.
If you have never read the Summa, it can be a little intimidating. But I put together a roadmap so that anybody can read it and understand it. Get it here.
Here is the commentary I will be using from Walter Farrell, O.P.
Here is the commentary I will be using from Brian Davies, O.P.
Now, let’s dive into God’s knowledge.
Question 14: God’s Knowledge
9. Does God Know Things That Do Not Exist?
It might seem, at first blush, that God can only know that which exists, since God is being itself. How can being know that which does not, well, be?
But Aquinas takes this to be an error. All that could be would still come from pure being. And insofar as God knows His own essence perfectly, He also knows all that He could possibly do. Therefore, God does not only know those things that He has chosen to create. God also knows all things that He could have chosen to create. Therefore, He knows things that do not exist.
Farrell argues persuasively for God’s knowledge of non-existing things here:
To say that God knows all possible things, things that could have been but will not be, is only to insist on God’s knowledge of the extent of His power, His comprehensive knowledge of His own perfection; for unless He knows in how many ways His perfections can be shared, imitated, mirrored by creation, He does not fully know Himself.1
This is a free preview of the Guided Tour of the Summa. To read the rest, join other premium subscribers who are becoming thoughtful, well-formed Catholic intellectuals through:
A guided tour through the ENTIRETY of Thomas Aquinas’s Summa Theologiae, which you are reading right now! Don’t miss out on forming your mind according to the Universal Doctor of the Church!
Founding Members get a FREE copy of my Catholic Philosopher In A Year Reading Plan, my ultimate reading list to get up to speed in Catholic Philosophy.
Blogs on the philosophy of religion (God, evil, free will, etc.) like this one about art and the problem of evil.
Reader’s Guides on the great works of Catholic philosophy, like last month’s guide on Jacques Maritain’s Art and Scholasticism.
Further reading recommendations on many posts, including free posts.
Stop feeling confused in the face of deep Catholic conversations and start thinking like a Catholic philosopher.
