The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
And if this again passes from potentiality to actuality, it must be preceded by something else, whereby it can be brought from potentiality to actuality. But we cannot go on thus to infinity. Therefore we must come to something that is wholly actual and nowise potential. And this we call God.
Saint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
Therefore God is both potential (none being) and actual (being) ... The very process of becoming from nothing into something cannot repeat itself into infinity, so we have to come to the conclusion that the principle behind it is thing that transcends non-being and being. He is nothing and everything at the same time - or NO thing. God is the very reason for why nothing becomes something, He is the one inbetween.
Accordingly, if the divine essence is distinct from its existence, it follows that His essence and existence are mutually related as potentiality and act. Now it has been proved that in God there is nothing of potentiality, and that He is pure act. Therefore God’s essence is not distinct from His existence.
Saint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
For matter, such as it is, is in potentiality.
Saint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
Isnt matter "real"? Unless if youre talking about the infinite possibility of matter changing its form
the human intellect is incapable by its natural power of attaining to the comprehension of His essence: since our intellect’s knowledge, according to the mode of the present life, originates from the senses: so that things which are not objects of sense cannot be comprehended by the human intellect, except in so far as knowledge of them is gathered
... See moreSaint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
U cannot comprehend the structure when you are within it.
Nothing is at the same time in act and in potentiality in respect of the same thing. Now whatever is in motion, as such, is in potentiality, because motion is the act of that which is in potentiality, as such. Whereas whatever moves, as such, is in act, for nothing acts except in so far as it is in act. Therefore nothing is both mover and moved in
... See moreSaint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
Again. Although that which is sometimes potential and sometimes actual, is in point of time potential before being actual, nevertheless actuality is simply before potentiality: because potentiality does not bring itself into actuality, but needs to be brought into actuality by something actual. Therefore whatever is in any way potential has
... See moreSaint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
God has no latent, or any underlying potential, because He is everything, prior and after. He is beyond any potential (necessarily or possibility) or actuality (fulfillment or realization).
For if movement had a beginning, it must have had its beginning from some mover. And if this mover had a beginning, it had its beginning from some agent. And thus either we shall go on to infinity, or we shall come to something without a beginning.
Saint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
With no beginnings or ends. HE simply always "was", a Thing beyond anything.
Therefore if one of its parts is at rest, it follows that the whole is at rest. For if, while one part is at rest, another of its parts were in motion, the whole itself would not be moved primarily, but its part which is in motion while another is at rest. Now nothing that is at rest while another is at rest, is moved by itself: for that which is
... See moreSaint Thomas Aquinas • The Summa Contra Gentiles (Illustrated)
The first of these is proved by the Philosopher in three ways. First, thus. If a thing moves itself, it must needs have the principle of its movement in itself, else it would clearly be moved by another. Again it must be moved primarily, that is, it must be moved by reason of itself and not by reason of its part, as an animal is moved by the
... See more