2016/1/6

阿奎那論神體科學(神學)的心象

《波三探》第五題第四問,也是最後一問則處理了與在存在上為非物質的存在者相應之科學的心象。此題的問題為:「神體科學(divina scientia)是否專責研究沒有物質與變易的存在者1?」而本問最大的困難在於神體科學或為神學或為形上學,涉及的對象不只上帝(與天神)還有其他與物質實體相關的對象。我們可以摘要本問中阿奎那正解的論述如下:

  • 若一個主體纇相(subiectum generis)本身具備完整性體(in se ipsa natura completa)又是其他主體纇相的原理(principia aliorum),則有研究性體自身的科學以及將之作為原理的科學2
  • 神體(複數,res divinae)本身具備完整性體又是其他存在者的原理3
  • 所以,有關於神體性體自身的科學(神學)也有將神體作為原理的科學(形上學)4

阿奎那選擇以「主體纇相」(subject genus)作為論述起點有其特別用意。科學中所謂「主體」即是經過認知作用轉化過的(可理解的)心象5。而「類相」則是在對存在者的認知中不同種相(species)共有的本質內涵6,不同的科學因著處理類相的差異而有所不同7。這樣,主體纇相是一門科學對一存在者特殊考慮層面(ratio)下形成的心象。就哲學史的考慮而言,神學或形上學的考慮究竟是否包含了上帝本身也是阿維森納(Avicenna)、阿威羅伊(Averroes)以及大亞爾伯(Albert the Great)等阿奎那前哲學家爭論的焦點,因此為了解決爭端而以主體心象作為論述起點可說是是一個好的策略8。進一步說,正因為主體纇相本質上就是理智認識下形成的心象,使用主體纇相作為探討起點可以避免直接討論超絕的上帝存在本體9。最後,在《析後註》中阿奎那曾指出一門科學的原理是不證自明,或是由其他的科學所證立10。在此就說明了正解中有完整性體的主體纇相本身可以開出兩門科學的根據。若是完整性體的主體纇相當作證立其他科學(哲學神學〔thelogica philosophica〕)結論的原理,本身不能在該結論的科學(哲學神學)中被證立,需要在其他科學(聖經神學〔theologica sacrae Scripturae〕)裡被證立11

在正解中,阿奎那也試圖證明了神體同時具備完整性體又是其他主體纇相的原理。需要注意的是,阿奎那在此所說的神體是複數的神體(divine things, res divinae),因此涉及了神體科學對象範圍的課題。阿奎那在原文中指出神體課學的範圍涉及上帝、天神、存在者、實體、潛能或現實等12。並將這些對象進行區分:
一種是從存在者的性體而言就被稱為分離的,這類存在者不可能在物質與變易中存在。⋯⋯另一種,不是從性體而言在物質與變易之中,但是可以獨立在物質與變易外存在,即便是它可以從物質與變易中被發現13
維伯又進一步將第一類稱為「積極的非物質性」(positively immaterial),第二類稱為「消極或中性的非物質性」(negaitively or neutrally immaterial)14。前者是不可能存在於物質與變易之中的,像是上帝與天神;後者則是本性上是非物質性的,但是可以存在於物質與變易之中的,像是實體或潛能。兩者的共同點是在本性上都與物質分離,因此同為神體科學探討的範圍。

阿奎那在正解裡不但要指出神體是可以其他主體纇相的原理,還要證明它(們)是所有存在者的原理。他指出每一個特定類相都有可以擴及該類相其它原理的公有原理(principia communia)。所以,對所有存在者而言只要它們都分享了存在,就都有可以遍及每一個存在者的(公有)原理。阿奎那進一步引述阿維森納的《正蒙》(Sufficientia)說明這種公有原理,乃是從賦謂(per praedicationem)和因果(per causalitatem)兩方面來說的。從賦謂來說,正如同「形式」(forma)對所有其它形式是共通的,因為「形式」可以賦謂任何一個形式15。而在存在者上,阿奎那引證亞里士多德《形上學》第十一卷證明,「存在」可以「類比義」(secundum analogiam)賦謂所有存在者16。從因果說,如同說那本體是數目一者是所有生滅之物的原理17。在存在者上,有一些存在為數目一的存在者們是所有存在者的原理,所以正如附體原理可以歸結到實體原理,而生滅實體原理可以歸結到不朽實體,在這樣的漸進次序裡,所有存在者的原理被歸結到特定原理上18。阿奎那在這段的說明裡特別是針對著消極或中性的非物質性神體,因為這些神體作為所有存在者的公有原理,必然也是物質與變動存在者的公有原理。

在本問正解中,阿奎那還提到有主體纇相只是他者的原理本身不具備完整性體19,而神體則是具備了完整性體,需要加以證明20。阿奎那引証亞里士多德《形上學》第二卷指出,作為所有存在者的原理(單數21),必要是最大的存在者(ens maxime),而最大的存在者必要是最圓滿的(completissime)存在者22。在這樣的前提下,阿奎那依序提出這個最大原理的幾個特性如下:首先是純現實(maxime actu),根據亞里士多德《形上學》第九卷,正因它是最完滿的存在者,它是最大的現實,以至於沒有蘊含任何或一丁點的潛能,因為現實高於且優於潛能23。其次是非物質性與無變易性,正如《形上學》第六卷所言,正因是最大現實沒有任何潛能在內,它是沒有物質在內的,因為物質在潛能中;也沒有變易在內,因為變易是存在於潛能中的現實。而這樣一類的東西是神體的,如果有神體存在在任何一處的話,在其性體而言他以最大程度存在為非物質的且無變易性的24。最後則是最高的可理解性25。在證明神體性體的部分,阿奎那就扣緊了積極性非物質性存在者,而此積極性非物質性者正可以加以證立那些作為原理的中立性非物質性神體。也正在此處,阿奎那回答了本問的問題,確立神體性體的非物質性與無變易性。

將神學性體視為原理,也就是扣緊消極性非物質性存在者的科學,阿奎那稱為哲學神學26。該門科學具體的研究對象雖然是在本性上與物質和變易分離者,但是它們不必然存在於物質之外,也就是存在者(ens)、實體、潛能或現實等27。而這門科學研究的進路是從效果推原因,也就是從一切存在者(效果)上考究其原因或共通因素,這樣,它就是一門考察:「存在者之為存在者(ens in quantum est ens)」的科學28

以神體性體也就是積極性非物性存在者為對象的科學,阿奎那稱為聖經神學29。該門科學具體的研究對象就是那些在存在與本性上都完全與物質和變易分離的存在者,也就是天神與上帝30。需要注意的是,在阿奎那的認知裡論理,我們對存在者的認知都只能通過經驗作為起點,因此,完全與物質分離的天神與上帝性體不能通過經驗為人類理性所認識,需要通過神體向人類理性的自我開顯才能為人類所認識。因此阿奎那援引《聖經.哥林多前書》:「同樣,只有上帝的神才知道上帝一切的事。我們沒有領受這世界的神,而是領受上帝所差來的聖神,為要使我們能夠知道上帝所給我們的一切恩賜31。」

另一方面,阿奎那也指出人類理性之於首要原理的上帝性體正如貓頭鷹的眼睛之於太陽的熾光,無法直視。上帝需要以適應人類理性認知能力的方式自我開顯。所以霍爾凸顯了正解原文中聖經神學是將神體做為「為其自身緣故32」(for their own sakes, propter se ipsas)的主體來考究,而非性體自身33。這樣,阿奎那間接地暗示了我們對上帝性體的認知終究不是直接的也不完全34。阿奎那科學分類中我們對上帝性體的缺乏認知也對應了其存在學裡存在的分享原理,我們的存在與上帝的存在的肖似,只有類比義下的相似,我們的認識也是。最後需要注意的一點是,「神學」從亞里士多德開始正式成為科學的一部分後,基督教哲學家開始把「聖經神學」加入其中,並開始分辨「哲學神學」與「聖經神學」與其關係,在此我們看到阿奎那的解釋。


  1. “Utrum divina scientia sit de his quae sunt sine materia et motu” ↩︎
  2. SBDT., q.5, a.4. “Quaedam enim sunt quae et sunt in se ipsis quaedam naturae completae et sunt nihilominus principia aliorum…. Et ideo ista non solum considerantur in scientiis ut principia sunt, sed etiam ut sunt in se ipsis res quaedam; et propter” ↩︎
  3. Ibid., q.5, a.4. “Huiusmodi ergo res divinae, quia sunt principia omnium entium et sunt nihilominus in se naturae completae….” ↩︎
  4. Ibid., q.5, a.4. “res divinae…dupliciter tractari possunt: uno modo, prout sunt principia communia omnium entium; alio modo, prout sunt in se res quaedam.” ↩︎
  5. Armand Maurer, The Division and Methods of the Sciences: Questions V and VI of his Commentary on the De Trinitate of Boethius (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 1986), p. xvii. “Each science is said to have its own subject (subjectum), which differentiates that science from every other. By the subject of a science St. Thomas does not simply mean the things considered by the science, or its subject-matter. The term also desinates the formal perspective (ratio) under which these things are considered in the science.” ↩︎
  6. A Dictionary of Scholastic Philosophy, s.v. “genus.” ↩︎
  7. ELPA., lectio 15. “…sed in illis scientiis, quarum est diversum genus subiectum, sicut in arithmetica, quae est de numeris, et geometria, quae est de magnitudinibus,….” ↩︎
  8. Leo Elders, Faith and Science: An Instruction to St. Thomas Expositio in Boethii De Trinitate (Rome: Herder, 1974), p. 111-114. ↩︎
  9. Ibid., p. 114. “What is quite new in St. Thomas’ approach is the fact that he no longer seeks the principle for the division of sciences on the division of reality, but in the type of intellectual activity of the mind.”
    霍爾也在阿奎那區分神學與形上學進路的差異段落中註解同意此點。Douglas G Hall. The Trinity: An Analysis of St. Thomas Aquinas Expositio of the De Triniate of Boethius (Leiden: Brill, 1992), p. 95. “Now it is not said that scared theology trats divine things immediately, with a knowledge of them as they subsis in themselves, but merely that scared theology considers divine things ‘propter se ipsas’ (‘for their own sakes.’)”
  10. ELPA., lectio 17. “Primo, inducit conclusionem dicens quod, si hoc verum est, scilicet quod demonstrationes in singulis scientiis non fiunt ex communibus principiis, et iterum quod principia scientiarum habent aliquid prius se, quod est commune; manifestum est quod non est uniuscuiusque scientiae demonstrare principia sua propria. [emphiasis added]” ↩︎
  11. John F. Wipple, The Metaphysical Thought of Thomas Aquinas: From Finite Being to Uncreated Being (Washington, D.C.: 2000), p. 17.
    本文稍後會進一步說明。而這種神體科學區分的問題同樣是哲學家爭論的焦點,參考上註艾爾德的討論(第一一二面)。
  12. Ibid., q.5, a.4. “Utraque [divina scientia] autem est de his quae sunt separata a materia et motu secundum esse, sed diversimode, secundum quod dupliciter potest esse aliquid a materia et motu separatum secundum esse. Uno modo,… sicut Deus et Angeli…. Alio modo ens et substantia et potentia et actus….” ↩︎
  13. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Uno modo sic, quod de ratione ipsius rei, quae separata dicitur, sit quod nullo modo in materia et motu esse possit…. Alio modo sic, quod non sit de ratione eius quod sit in materia et motu, sed possit esse sine materia et motu, quamvis quandoque inveniatur in materia et motu.” ↩︎
  14. John F. Wipple, The Metaphysical Thought of Thomas Aquinas: From Finite Being to Uncreated Being (Washington, D.C.: 2000), p. 8. “In other words, objects of the the first type are not and cannot be realized in matter because they positively exclude materiality. Hence one may, as I have suggest in another context, describe them as positively immaterial. Objects of the second type do not have to be realized in matter in order to exist, even though they may be. … Hence we may describe things of this type as negatively immaterial, meaning they do not have to be present in matter in order to exist. We may also describe them as neutrally immaterial, meaning by this they may or may not be present in matter.” ↩︎
  15. SBDT., q.5, a.4, responsio. “uno modo per praedicationem, sicut hoc quod dico: forma est commune ad omnes formas, quia de qualibet praeducatur….” ↩︎
  16. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “...non solum secundum primum modum, quod appellat philosophus in XI metaphysicae omnia entia habere eadem principia secundum analogiam...” ↩︎
  17. Ibid., “...alio modo per causalitatem, sicut dicimus solem unum numero esse principium ad omnia generabilia.” ↩︎
  18. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “…sed etiam secundum modum secundum, ut sint quaedam res eadem numero exsistentes omnium rerum principia, prout scilicet principia accidentium reducuntur in principia substantiae et principia substantiarum corruptibilium reducuntur in substantias incorruptibiles, et sic quodam gradu et ordine in quaedam principia omnia entia reducuntur.” ↩︎
  19. 不具備完整性體的主體纇相只能再把它作為原理的科學裡被探討,沒有專門研究其性體的科學。例如:「點」之於「線」。前者是後者的原理,但是點沒有完整性體,沒有「點學」考究其性體。Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Quaedam autem sunt principia, quae non sunt naturae completae in se ipsis, sed solum sunt principia naturarum, sicut unitas numeri et punctus lineae et forma et materia corporis physici, unde huiusmodi principia non tractantur nisi in scientia, in qua de principiatis agitur.” ↩︎
  20. 由於證明該原理性體的規模過於龐大,阿奎那在此只是綱要列舉證明的步數,並列舉根據,無法一一展開證明。維伯認為這裡的說明是一種證明上帝存在的綱要。John F. Wipple, The Metaphysical Thought of Thomas Aquinas: From Finite Being to Uncreated Being (Washington, D.C.: 2000), p. 16. “To illustrate this point Thomas presents what might be regarded as an ouline of an argument for the existence of God.” ↩︎
  21. 阿奎那在此段說明中把前文的複數公有原理(principia commnuia)改換成單數原理(principium)。維伯則進一步直指這裡的單數原理就是上帝,不過阿奎那的原文在此處仍未明言及此。John F. Wipple, The Metaphysical Thought of Thomas Aquinas: From Finite Being to Uncreated Being (Washington, D.C.: 2000), p. 16. ↩︎
  22. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Et quia id, quod est principium essendi omnibus, oportet esse maxime ens, ut dicitur in II metaphysicae, ideo huiusmodi principia oportet esse completissima...” ↩︎
  23. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “...et propter hoc oportet ea esse maxime actu, ut nihil vel minimum habeant de potentia, quia actus est prior et potior potentia, ut dicitur in IX metaphysicae.” ↩︎
  24. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Et propter hoc oportet ea esse absque materia, quae est in potentia, et absque motu, qui est actus exsistentis in potentia. Et huiusmodi sunt res divinae; quia si divinum alicubi exsistit, in tali natura, immateriali scilicet et immobili, maxime exsistit, ut dicitur in VI metaphysicae.” ↩︎
  25. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “uia autem huiusmodi prima principia quamvis sint in se maxime nota....” ↩︎
  26. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “[Theologia ergo philosophica]…Alio modo sic, quod non sit de ratione eius quod sit in materia et motu, sed possit esse sine materia et motu, quamvis quandoque inveniatur in materia et motu.” ↩︎
  27. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Et sic ens et substantia et potentia et actus sunt separata a materia et motu, quia secundum esse a materia et motu non dependent, sicut mathematica dependebant, quae numquam nisi in materia esse possunt,….” ↩︎
  28. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Et ideo pertractantur in illa doctrina, in qua ponuntur ea quae sunt communia omnibus entibus, quae habet subiectum ens in quantum est ens; et haec scientia apud eos scientia divina dicitur.” ↩︎
  29. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Sic ergo theologia sive scientia divina est duplex….Alia vero, quae ipsas res divinas considerat propter se ipsas ut subiectum scientiae et haec est theologia, quae in sacra Scriptura traditur…. Theologia vero sacrae Scripturae.” ↩︎
  30. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Utraque autem est de his quae sunt separata a materia et motu secundum esse, sed diversimode, secundum quod dupliciter potest esse aliquid a materia et motu separatum secundum esse. Uno modo sic, quod de ratione ipsius rei, quae separata dicitur, sit quod nullo modo in materia et motu esse possit, sicut Deus et Angeli dicuntur a materia et motu separati.” ↩︎
  31. 第二章第十一節。 ↩︎
  32. Ibid., q.5, a.4, responsio. “Alia vero, quae ipsas res divinas considerat propter se ipsas[emphasis added] ut subiectum scientiae et haec est theologia, quae in sacra Scriptura traditur.” ↩︎
  33. Douglas G Hall. The Trinity: An Analysis of St. Thomas Aquinas Expositio of the De Triniate of Boethius (Leiden: Brill, 1992), p. 95. “Now it is not said that scared theology treats divine things immediately, with a knowledge of them as they subsist in themselves, but merely that scared theology considers divine things ‘propter se ipsas’ (‘for their own sakes’).” ↩︎
  34. 阿奎那在第六問第四題的反論裡指出任何人可以通過思辨科學來認知神體性體或神相(divina forma)必定不是我們所理解下的「人」。SBDT., q.6, a.4, sed contra. “vel si contingat ex defectus naturae nostrae quod non possimus illas scientias speculativas invenire, quibus praedictae substantiae intelligantur, sequetur quod si aliqui nati sunt huiusmodi scientias invenire, quod nos et ipsi simus aequivoce homines.” ↩︎

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