Chapter 3

Continuation —
Derivation of the special ontological laws which govern human thought

1326. Having explained the supreme, universal law of human thought, 'Ens is the essential term of thought,' and having applied it to different kinds of intellections, I must now determine the special laws arising from it. This can be done easily by considering the special endowments of ens, each of which impresses its own characteristic on human knowledge in such a way that it contributes greatly to our understanding of the intimate nature of the ens necessary for the purposes of our investigation.

1327. The principal qualities of any ens (and I limit myself to these) are that it is

1. object;
2. possible;
3. first act;
4. one;
5. lasting, and
6. finite or infinite

Each of these qualities gives rise to a special law which determines the nature of the cognitive act. I will begin with the first: 'The term of thought is an object.'