Friday, May 28, 2010

1a 2ae q32 a5: Whether the actions of others are a cause of pleasure to us? Yes.

Operationes aliorum etsi non procedant ex habitibus qui in me sunt, causant tamen in me aliquid delectabile; vel faciunt mihi aestimationem sive apprehensionem proprii habitus; vel procedunt ex habitu illius qui est unum mecum per amorem: quia operatio alterius potest esse mihi coniuncta vel per effectum, sicut in primo modo; vel per apprehensionem, sicut in secundo modo; vel per affectionem, sicut in tertio modo.

Although the actions of another do not proceed from habits that are in me, yet they either produce in me something that gives delight; or they make me appreciate or know a habit of mind; or they proceed from the habit of one who is united to me by love: because another's action may be conjoined to me, either by its effect, as in the first way; or by knowledge, as in the second way; or by affection, as in the third way.

Homines delectantur in hoc quod laudantur vel honorantur ab aliis, quia scilicet per hoc accipiunt aestimationem in seipsis aliquod bonum esse. Et quia ista aestimatio fortius generatur ex testimonio bonorum et sapientum, ideo in horum laudibus et honoribus homines magis delectantur. Et quia adulator est apparens laudator, propter hoc etiam adulationes quibusdam sunt delectabiles.

Men take delight in being praised or honored by others, because, to wit, they thus become aware of some good existing in themselves. And since this appreciation receives greater weight from the testimony of good and wise men, hence men take greater delight in being praised and honored by them. And because a flatterer appears to praise, therefore flattery is delightful to some.

Et quia amor est alicuius boni, et admiratio est alicuius magni, idcirco amari ab aliis, et in admiratione haberi, est delectabile, inquantum per hoc fit homini aestimatio propriae bonitatis vel magnitudinis, in quibus aliquis delectatur.

And as love is for something good, while admiration is for something great, so it is delightful to be loved and admired by others, inasmuch as a man thus becomes aware of his own goodness or greatness, through his giving delight to others.

Dicitur in II Ethic., quod "signum generati habitus oportet accipere fientem in opere delectationem".

Aristotle says in Ethic. ii, 3 that "we must reckon the delight which follows after action, as being the sign of a habit existing in us."