Chapter 1

The concept of death, and the concept of annihilation

661. If we are to rise to a discussion about immortality, we first have to descend to the consideration of death which, bound up with the beginning of life, that is, with generation, was our subject towards the end of the preceding book. As we know, clarity of concepts is the foundation of all clear reasoning. We have to begin, therefore, by reminding ourselves of the concept already given of death (cf. 135) as the cessation of bodily animation. Granted this, death cannot be conceived in any way as something undergone by souls, but only by bodies. We have already proved that souls, whether sensitive or intellective as well, cannot cease to exist through death (cf. 134-139, 602-605).

662. We still have to ask if there is any other way in which souls can naturally cease to exist. Can they annihilate themselves or be annihilated by some change occurring in nature in virtue of the agents which constitute nature, or of a positive act on the part of the Creator? We shall first look at the question relative to sensitive souls, and then in relationship to intellective, rational souls.