Commentary on Being and Essence

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CAJETAN

COMMENTARY ON BJEING AND ESSENCE (In De Ente et Essentia d. Thomas Aquinatis)

MEDlAEVAL PHILOSOPIIICAL TEXTS IN TRANSLATION No. 14

EDITOHlAL ROAHD JamC's H. Rohh, L.S.M., Ph.D., Chairman The Rev. Gerard Smith, S.J., Ph.D. The Rev. Michael V. Murray, S.J ., Ph.D. The Rev. Richard E. Arnold, S.J., Ph.D. David Host, A.�I. Paul �f. Byrne', L.S.M., Ph.D.

Marquette University Press 1131 \V. Wisconsin Avenue :\lilwaukec, \Visconsin

CAJETAN

COMMENTARY ON BJEING AND ESSJENCJE (In De Ente et Essentia cl. Tlwnws Aquinatis) Translated f ram tlte I�alin \Vith an Introduction

By LOTTIE H. KENDZIERSKI, Ph.D. PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, MARQUETTE UNIVEHSJTY

and

FRANCIS C. WADE, S.J., S.T.L. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY

rvlARQUETTE UNIVEHSITY PHESS

i\ln.WAUKEE, \Vis.

19ff1

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 64-7794 © ( :opyright, 1964, The Marquette University Press �lilwaukee, \Visconsin �laHufadurt-'d i11 tlw Uuited States of America

TO FATHER GERARD SMITH, S.J. So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. ( Matt. v. 16. From the i\lass for a Doctor uf the Church)

C O NT E N T S TRANSLATORS' INTRODUCTION ......................... 1 INTRODUCTION ................................... . . . ... . :39 QUESTION

I:

[Whether Being Is What the Human Iutellect First Knows?] ............ 40

CHAPTER I ....................... . .... . .................. 63 QUESTION

II:

[Whether Being and Essence Signify the Categories or Their Natures Im­ mediately or Mediately?] .......... 65

CHAPTER II ....................... . .. . ................ . .. 7:3 QUESTION

III:

[Whether Being Is Predicated Primar­ ily of Substance and Secondarily of Accident , or Is Predicated Univocallv, of Both'?] ... . .................. . .. 74

QUESTION

IV:

[Whether Matter Is a Part of the Quiddity of a Natural Thing?] ...... 90

QUESTION

V:

[Whether Matter Is the Principle of Individuation'?] .................... 9-'!

CHAPTER III .............................................109 CHAPTER IV ............................................. 1:31 QUESTION

VI:

[Whether a Nature Taken Absolutely Has Unity or Plurality?] ............14:3

QUESTION

VII:

[Whether a Nature Taken Absolutely Is What Is Predicated of Imlividuals?] 155

QUESTION

VIII:

[Whether Universals in Act Exist Outside the Soul?] ....................164

CI-IAPTER V ..............................................181 QUESTION

IX:

[Whether Matter Can Exist \Vithout Form?] ..........................185

QUESTION

X:

[Whether Each Species of Separated Substances Has Ouly One Imlividualr] .......................... 19G

QUESTION

XI:

[Whether Intelligences Are Produced by God as Their Efficient Cause?] ....210

QUESTION

XII:

[Whether the Being (Esse) of Actual Existence and Essence Are Heally Dis­ tinguished: Whether Intelligences Are Composed of Act and Potency?] ....217

CHAPTER VI .............................................239 QUESTION

XIII:

[Whether the Perfections Existing in God Are in Some Way Distinct In­ dependently of Every Act of the Intellect?] ..........................245

QUESTION

XIV:

[By What Is the Intellectual Soul Individuated] .......................263

QUESTION

XV:

Whether Intelligences Are Quidditatively Knowable by Us?] ...........270

CHAPTER VII ............................................295

XVI:

[Whether Dependence on a Subject Is of the Essence of an Accident?] .....299

QUESTION XVII:

[Whether Interminate Dimensions Pre­ cede Substantial Form in Matter?] ....302

QUESTION XVIII:

[Whether Numerically the Same Acci­ dent Is in the Thing Generated and Corrupted?] ......................315

QUESTION

INDEX ........ . .. ........................ ........... .....345

Translators' Introduction I. THE LIFE OF CAJETAN Cajetan was a theologian, philosopher, master general of the Dominican order, and a counselor of Popes who lived during the Lutheran revolt. The writings of Cajetan are extensive, consisting of 157 works on theology, philosophy, and exegesis.1 Born Thomas de Vio at Gaeta (Cajeta), Italy, on February 20, 1468, Cajetan entered the Dominican order in 1484 and studied at Naples and Bologna. At the age of 23, he began teaching at Pavia. At the age of 25, he was a Bachelor at the University of Padua, where he had to interpret the Books of Sentences. At the age of 26, he received the Chair of Thomistic metaphysics at Padua, where he engaged in disputes against Anthony Trombeta, O.F.M., who held the Chair of Scotistic metaphysics, and with the Averroists, Pomponatius and Ver­ nias. These disputes resulted in his commentary on the De Ente et Essentia of St. Thomas Aquinas, written at the early age of 27. Be­ cause of his brilliance and abilities, the Dominican master gt'neral Toriani took off his own Master's insignia and invested Cajetan as Master of Sacred Theology. In 1497, Cajetan was called by the Duke of Milan to teach theology at the University of Pavia. After two years, he left the University and spent the latter part of 1499 and all of 1500 at the convent in Milan. He became the procurator general of the Dominican Order in 1500. At this time, he went to Rome and engaged in public discourses and sermons before Popes Alexander VI and Julius II. In 1509, he was appoiutecl vicar general of the Dominican order, and in 1510, at the age of 42, he became master general of the order. Pope Julius II appointed him Cardinal in 1517 and Cajetan took part in many im1

On the life and works of Cajetan, the following works may be con­ sulted. E. A. Bushinski, C.S.Sp. and H. J. Koren, C.S.Sp., The Analogy of Names and the Concept of Being ( Pittsburgh: Duquesne University Press, 1953), pp. 1-5; M. J. Congar, O.P., "Bio-bilbliographie de Cajetan," in RetiUC Thomiste, XVII (19341935), 3-49; E. Gilson, History of Christian Philosophy in the Middle Ages ( New York: Random House, 1 954), p. 800, n. 76; M. Goree, "Cajetan precurseur de Catharin et de Banes," in Revue Thomiste, XVII (1934-1935), 371-99; M. Grabmann, "Die Stellung des Kardinal Cajetan i11 der Geschichte des Thomismus,"

[l]

in Angelicum, II (1934), 547-60; J. F. Groner, O.P., Kardinal Ca;etan. Eine Gestalt aus der Reformations­ zeit ( Louvain: Editions E. Nauwel­ aerts, 1951), pp. 9-56; M. H. Lau­ rent, O.P., "Quelques documents de ar�hives vaticanes (1517-1534)," in Revue Thomiste, XVII (1934-1935), 50-148; "Les premieres biographies de Cajetan," in Revue Thomiste, XVII (1934-1935), 446-.503; P. Man­ don11et, 0.P., "Cajetan," in Diction­ naire de theologie catlwlique, II (1923), coll. 1313-1329; F. Steg­ mullcr, "Tolet et Cajetan," in Revue Thomiste, XVII ( 1934-1935), 3.5870.

portant councils. In 1518, Leo X named him Legate to Germany in or