Friday, September 29, 2006

Q45 A8: Whether creation is mingled with works of nature and art?

No. In the works of nature, creation does not enter because creation is presupposed to the work of nature.

The operation of nature takes place only on the presupposition of created principles; and thus the products of nature are called creatures.

The doubt on this subject arises from the forms which, some said, do not come into existence by the action of nature, but previously exist in matter; for they asserted that forms are latent.

This arose from ignorance concerning matter, and from not knowing how to distinguish between potentiality and act. For because forms pre-exist in matter, "in potentiality," they asserted that they pre-exist "simply."

Others, however, said that the forms were given or caused by a separate agent by way of creation; and accordingly, that to each operation of nature is joined creation.

But this opinion arose from ignorance concerning form. For they failed to consider that the form of the natural body is not subsisting, but is that by which a thing is.

And therefore, since to be made and to be created belong properly to a subsisting thing alone (A4), it does not belong to forms to be made or to be created, but to be "concreated."

What, indeed, is properly made by the natural agent is the "composite," which is made from matter.