Chapter 18

The psychological laws of the rational principle corresponding
to the ontological laws in general

1444. Although it is the term which arouses the activity of the principle to which it is joined, the principle has its own activity. In our natural life the term of the rational principle is twofold: ideal ens and the finitely real (the world). This double term therefore must arouse in the rational principle a double activity which must receive a large part of its mode of action from the nature of the principle itself, that is, from the soul. The psychological laws therefore must divide into two classes: those corresponding to the ontological laws, and those corresponding to the cosmological laws. I have spoken about the ontological laws but not the cosmological. It will be helpful therefore if I discuss only the psychological laws corresponding to the ontological, and postpone discussion of the others. This cannot be done however without some reference to the cosmological laws. What is said about them here will serve as an indication of what must be said later when they are discussed expressly.

1445. The general ontological law which summarises all the others is: 'The term of the rational principle is an ens'. If some essential condition is absent from this ens, the term of the rational principle no longer exists. On the other hand, if no condition is lacking, the principle exercises its activity on its term.
In order to apply this law properly to the human being, I needed to note the essential conditions of any ens, which are:

1. It has three forms, and is complete under each. Thus under the ideal form, it can be given to a subject without its being given under the other two forms.

2. Under the real and moral forms however, it cannot be given without the ideal form, because ideal ens manifests the essence of ens and without its essence no ens can be the object of thought under any form.(240)

3. Because an ens under the ideal form is per se object, the rational principle informed by it can have a term only under the form of object.

1446. These truths teach us:

1. The rational principle as naturally intellective has only the activity given it by ideal ens.

2. If the principle were in fact divided from animal- fundamental feeling, it would find satisfaction in ideal ens, its natural term.

3. It cannot be moved to another act except by a new object.

These propositions contain the seeds of the psychological laws which I propose to explain. I will begin with the last proposition.

Notes

(240) Thus it would be an absurdity to maintain that we saw God but not his essence.