Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that life is not fittingly divided into active and contemplative. For the soul is the principle of life by its essence: since the Philosopher says (De Anima ii, 4) that "in living things to live is to be." Now the soul is the principle of action and contemplation by its powers. Therefore it would seem that life is not fittingly divided into active and contemplative.

Objection 2: Further, the division of that which comes afterwards is unfittingly applied to that which comes first. Now active and contemplative, or "speculative" and "practical," are differences of the intellect (De Anima iii, 10); while "to live" comes before "to understand," since "to live" comes first to living things through the vegetative soul, as the Philosopher states (De Anima ii, 4). Therefore life is unfittingly divided into active and contemplative.

Objection 3: Further, the word "life" implies movement, according to Dionysius (Div. Nom. vi): whereas contemplation consists rather in rest, according to Wis. 8:16: "When I enter into my house, I shall repose myself with her." Therefore it would seem that life is unfittingly divided into active and contemplative.

On the contrary, Gregory says (Hom. xiv super Ezech.): "There is a twofold life wherein Almighty God instructs us by His holy word, the active life and the contemplative."

I answer that, Properly speaking, those things are said to live whose movement or operation is from within themselves. Now that which is proper to a thing and to which it is most inclined is that which is most becoming to it from itself; wherefore every living thing gives proof of its life by that operation which is most proper to it, and to which it is most inclined. Thus the life of plants is said to consist in nourishment and generation; the life of animals in sensation and movement; and the life of men in their understanding and acting according to reason. Wherefore also in men the life of every man would seem to be that wherein he delights most, and on which he is most intent; thus especially does he wish "to associate with his friends" (Ethic. ix, 12).

Accordingly since certain men are especially intent on the contemplation of truth, while others are especially intent on external actions, it follows that man's life is fittingly divided into active and contemplative.

Reply to Objection 1: Each thing's proper form that makes it actually "to be" is properly that thing's principle of operation. Hence "to live" is, in living things, "to be," because living things through having "being" from their form, act in such and such a way.

Reply to Objection 2: Life in general is not divided into active and contemplative, but the life of man, who derives his species from having an intellect, wherefore the same division applies to intellect and human life.

Reply to Objection 3: It is true that contemplation enjoys rest from external movements. Nevertheless to contemplate is itself a movement of the intellect, in so far as every operation is described as a movement; in which sense the Philosopher says (De Anima iii, 7) that sensation and understanding are movements of a kind, in so far as movement is defined "the act of a perfect thing." In this way Dionysius (Div. Nom. iv) ascribes three movements to the soul in contemplation, namely, "straight," "circular," and "oblique" .

Articulus 1

Argumentum 1

Ad primum sic proceditur. Videtur quod vita non convenienter dividatur per activam et contemplativam. Anima enim est principium vitae per suam essentiam, dicit enim philosophus, in II de anima, quod vivere viventibus est esse.

Actionis autem et contemplationis principium est anima per suas potentias. Ergo videtur quod vita non convenienter dividatur per activam et contemplativam.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, inconvenienter dividitur prius per differentias posterioris. Activum autem et contemplativum, sive speculativum et practicum, sunt differentiae intellectus, ut patet in III de anima.

Vivere autem est prius quam intelligere, nam vivere inest viventibus primo secundum animam vegetabilem, ut patet per philosophum, in II de anima.

Ergo inconvenienter dividitur vita per activam et contemplativam.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, nomen vitae importat motum, ut patet per dionysium, VI cap. De div. Nom.. Sed contemplatio consistit magis in quiete, secundum illud Sap. VIII, intrans in domum meam, conquiescam cum illa.

Ergo videtur quod vita non convenienter dividatur per activam et contemplativam.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Gregorius, super Ezech., dicit, duae sunt vitae in quibus nos omnipotens deus per sacrum eloquium erudit, activa videlicet et contemplativa.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod illa proprie dicuntur viventia quae ex seipsis moventur seu operantur. Illud autem maxime convenit alicui secundum seipsum, quod est proprium ei, et ad quod maxime inclinatur. Et ideo unumquodque vivens ostenditur vivere ex operatione sibi maxime propria, ad quam maxime inclinatur, sicut plantarum vita dicitur in hoc consistere quod nutriuntur et generant; animalium vero in hoc quod sentiunt et moventur; hominum vero in hoc quod intelligunt et secundum rationem agunt.

Unde etiam et in hominibus vita uniuscuiusque hominis videtur esse id in quo maxime delectatur, et cui maxime intendit, et in hoc praecipue vult quilibet convivere amico, ut dicitur in IX ethic..

Quia ergo quidam homines praecipue intendunt contemplationi veritatis, quidam principaliter intendunt exterioribus actionibus, inde est quod vita hominis convenienter dividitur per activam et contemplativam.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod propria forma uniuscuiusque faciens ipsum esse in actu, est principium propriae operationis ipsius. Et ideo vivere dicitur esse viventium ex eo quod viventia per hoc quod habent esse per suam formam, tali modo operantur.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod vita universaliter sumpta non dividitur per activam et contemplativam, sed vita hominis, qui speciem sortitur ex hoc quod habet intellectum.

Et ideo eadem est divisio intellectus et vitae humanae.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod contemplatio habet quidem quietem ab exterioribus motibus, nihilominus tamen ipsum contemplari est quidam motus intellectus, prout quaelibet operatio dicitur motus; secundum quod philosophus dicit, in III de anima, quod sentire et intelligere sunt motus quidam, prout motus dicitur actus perfecti.

Et hoc modo dionysius, IV cap. De div. Nom., ponit tres motus animae contemplantis, scilicet rectum, circularem et obliquum.