Monday, July 19, 2010

1a 2ae q42 a3: Whether the evil of sin is an object of fear? No.

Malum culpae proprie non habet rationem terribilis, quia malum culpae propriam causam habet voluntatem humanam.

The evil of sin, properly speaking, does not display the formal aspect of fear, because human will is the proper cause of the evil of sin.

Timor est de malo futuro arduo quod non potest de facili vitari. Ex quo potest accipi quod id quod omnino subiacet potestati et voluntati nostrae, non habet rationem terribilis, sed illud solum est terribile, quod habet causam extrinsecam.

The object of fear is a future evil, arduous and not to be easily avoided. From this we may gather that whatever is entirely subject to our power and will, does not have the formal aspect of fear, and that nothing gives rise to fear, save what is due to an external cause.

Philosophus dicit, in II Rhetoric., quod "non omnia mala timentur, puta si aliquis erit iniustus, aut tardus".

The Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 5) that "not all evils are feared, for instance that someone be unjust or slow".