Aquinas and God's Infinite Essence

[ttabor33]

I have been studying Thomas Aquinas and I am in awe of God’s infinite Essence. For those who have studied Aquinas can you give me some feedback as it if I am understanding him correctly.

It seems that Aquinas adopts Aristotle’s theory of potential infinity and that there cannot be an Actual infinity in Reality where he differs with the philosopher is with God. So, would it be correct to say that God is the fulfillment a potential infinity amount of perfection. What I mean is that taking the potential infinity as a starting point we can know that Potential perfections in being, Knowledge power, etc. can be potentially infinite and God is at the opposite end of a potential infinity in that he is an Actual infinite being. He is not the sum total of the potential infinite number of beings, but he is the fullness of all those perfections and they all can pour forth out of his essence endlessly.

Example. In mathematics there is an endless amount (potential infinite) of numbers and knowledge contain within mathematics and God is the cause of all that knowledge etc. So, God is the source and Cause and fulfillment of that potential infinity.

Some mistake God’s All knowing to mean that God knows all that is knowable by saying If there is an infinite about of things to be known in reality then God’s Knowledge would be infinite but if there is only a finite about of knowledge then he would know it all because he is unlimited but he would still be finite.

Aquinas says that God knows an infinite number of things. (all at once His knowledge is not divided) because he is pure Actuality the fullness of all being.

If actuality is only limited by potency, then if something is fully actual it would be without end and if something is without end it can be participated in endlessly. So, wouldn’t that mean we can eternally participate in his knowledge and power etc. and never exhaust it because it is endless? So even though God’s knowledge is not an infinite amount it is still endless and to us finite beings we can divide it up into an endless number of knowable things? Am I correct on this?

So, to use that in reference to God’s knowledge we could say God has an actual infinity of knowledge that can be participated in a potential infinity of ways.

So, we as creation can progress in a potentially infinite way of always adding to our knowledge of the actual infinity of God.

So, his knowledge in relation to us can be broken down into a potential infinite amount of knowledge where in him it is a completed infinity.

Am I Correct in stating this is Aquinas Teachings of God’s Infinite Essence?

 

[Richca]

I have been studying Thomas Aquinas and I am in awe of God’s infinite Essence. For those who have studied Aquinas can you give me some feedback as it if I am understanding him correctly.

It seems that Aquinas adopts Aristotle’s theory of potential infinity and that there cannot be an Actual infinity in Reality where he differs with the philosopher is with God.

Just from a quick reading of some of Aquinas’ texts on the infinite in the Summa Theologica and the Summa Contra Gentiles, it appears Aristotle limited his treatment of the infinite and the potentially infinite in relation to material quantity such as continuous bodily spatial magnitude or discrete multitude of things or parts of things. Thus, he reasoned that an actual infinitely sized body or an infinite multitude of things actually existing was impossible. This kind of infinite in relation to material quantity has no place in God nor what Aristotle says of the potentially infinite since God is actually infinite. What Aquinas says of God’s infinity is not exactly the same thing Aristotle says of the infinite pertaining to quantity which is an accident of substance.

So, would it be correct to say that God is the fulfillment a potential infinity amount of perfection. What I mean is that taking the potential infinity as a starting point we can know that Potential perfections in being, Knowledge power, etc. can be potentially infinite and God is at the opposite end of a potential infinity in that he is an Actual infinite being. He is not the sum total of the potential infinite number of beings, but he is the fullness of all those perfections and they all can pour forth out of his essence endlessly.

Yes, God is Being itself and possesses Being in all its fullness and perfection in an infinite or boundless degree in act, i.e, not potentially but actually all at once.

If actuality is only limited by potency, then if something is fully actual it would be without end and if something is without end it can be participated in endlessly. So, wouldn’t that mean we can eternally participate in his knowledge and power etc. and never exhaust it because it is endless?

Aquinas says that the beatific vision will forever fill us with wonder since God’s being is infinite. So, yes, we will never fully comprehend God or exhaust our knowledge of him even unto the eternity of heaven. There will be forever something new to see in God.

So even though God’s knowledge is not an infinite amount it is still endless and to us finite beings we can divide it up into an endless number of knowable things? Am I correct on this?

God’s knowledge is infinite since the measure of his knowledge is the measure of his being which is infinite and God perfectly comprehends himself. God also has an infinite knowledge of our thoughts and affections which in heaven are going to go on for eternity.

 

[Richca]

(continued)

From: ttabor33:
So, we as creation can progress in a potentially infinite way of always adding to our knowledge of the actual infinity of God.

So, his knowledge in relation to us can be broken down into a potential infinite amount of knowledge where in him it is a completed infinity.

I think this sounds about right.

 

[ttabor33]

You are correct. I used that example as the wrong way to think about God’s infinity. The infinite possibilities of things is only because Gods essence is infinite.