"We admonish professors to bear well in mind that they cannot set aside St.

Thomas,
especially in metaphysical questions, without grave disadvantage". --Pope St. Pius X (1903-
1914), Pascendi Dominici Gregis, September , 190!
Decree of Approval of some theses contained in the Doctrine of St. Thomas
Aquinas and proposed to the Teachers of hilosophy
After our most Holy Father Pius X ordered in the Motu Proprio Doctoris
Angelici, on June 29, 1914, that in all schools of philosophy the principles
and main teachings of homas A!uinas "e held, some teachers from #arious
institutions proposed some theses for this $acred %ongregation to e&amine,
'hich theses they had "een accustomed to teach and defend as "eing those of
the Holy eacher ($t)homas*, especially in metaphysics)
his $acred %ongregation, ha#ing duly e&amined the aforementioned theses and
ha#ing presented them to the Holy Father, "y the mandate of His Holiness,
declares that they clearly contain the principles and more important thoughts
of the holy +octor ($t) homas*)
These !" propositions are a concise guide of the whole philosophy and can be divided as
follows#
"nto#og$ (%&. 1 ' !) ( )osmo#og$ (%&. ' 1*) ( Ps$c&o#og$ (%&. 13 ' *1) ( %&eodic$ (%&. ** ' *4$
%&T%'%()
* . Potenc$ and +ct di,ide being in suc& a -a$ t&at -&ate,er is, is eit&er pure act, or o.
necessit$ it is composed o. potenc$ and act as primar$ and intrinsic princip#es.
!. Since act is per.ection, it is not #imited e/cept t&roug& a potenc$ -&ic& itse#. is a capacit$ .or
per.ection. 0ence in an$ order in -&ic& an act is pure act, it -i## on#$ e/ist, in t&at order, as a
uni1ue and un#imited act. 2ut -&ene,er it is .inite and mani.o#d, it &as entered into a true
composition -it& potenc$.
+. )onse1uent#$, t&e one God, uni1ue and simp#e, a#one subsists in abso#ute being. +## ot&er
t&ings t&at participate in being &a,e a nature -&ereb$ t&eir being is restricted( t&e$ are
constituted o. essence and being, as rea##$ distinct princip#es.
". + t&ing is ca##ed a being because o. being (3esse3). God and creature are not ca##ed beings
uni,oca##$, nor -&o##$ e1ui,oca##$, but ana#ogica##$, b$ an ana#og$ bot& o. attribution and o.
proportiona#it$.
,. 4n e,er$ creature t&ere is a#so a rea# composition o. t&e subsisting sub5ect and o. added
secondar$ .orms, i.e. accidenta# .orms. Suc& composition cannot be understood un#ess being is
rea##$ recei,ed in an essence distinct .rom it.
-. 2esides t&e abso#ute accidents t&ere is a#so t&e re#ati,e accident, re#ation. +#t&oug& b$ reason
o. its o-n c&aracter re#ation does not signi.$ an$t&ing in&ering in anot&er, it ne,ert&e#ess o.ten
&as a cause in t&ings, and &ence a rea# entit$ distinct .rom t&e sub5ect.
.. + spiritua# creature is -&o##$ simp#e in its essence. 6et t&ere is sti## a t-o.o#d composition in
t&e spiritua# creature, name#$, t&at o. t&e essence -it& being, and t&at o. t&e substance -it&
accidents.
/. 0o-e,er, t&e corporea# creature is composed o. act and potenc$ e,en in its ,er$ essence.
%&ese act and potenc$ in t&e order o. essence are designated b$ t&e names .orm and matter
respecti,e#$.
0%S1%'%()
2. 7eit&er t&e matter nor t&e .orm &a,e being o. t&emse#,es, nor are t&e$ produced or corrupted
o. t&emse#,es, nor are t&e$ inc#uded in an$ categor$ ot&er-ise t&an reducti,e#$, as substantia#
princip#es.
*3. +#t&oug& e/tension in 1uantitati,e parts .o##o-s upon a corporea# nature, ne,ert&e#ess it is
not t&e same .or a bod$ to be a substance and .or it to be 1uanti.ied. 8or o. itse#. substance is
indi,isib#e, not indeed as a point is indi,isib#e, but as t&at -&ic& .a##s outside t&e order o.
dimensions is indi,isib#e. 2ut 1uantit$, -&ic& gi,es t&e substance e/tension, rea##$ di..ers .rom
t&e substance and is tru#$ an accident.
**. %&e princip#e o. indi,iduation, i.e., o. numerica# distinction o. one indi,idua# .rom anot&er
-it& t&e same speci.ic nature, is matter designated b$ 1uantit$. %&us in pure spirits t&ere cannot
be more t&an indi,idua# in t&e same speci.ic nature.
*!. 2$ ,irtue o. a bod$9s 1uantit$ itse#., t&e bod$ is circumscripti,e#$ in a p#ace, and in one p#ace
a#one circumscripti,e#$, no matter -&at po-er mig&t be broug&t to bear.
*+. 2odies are di,ided into t-o groups( .or some are #i,ing and ot&ers are de,oid o. #i.e. 4n t&e
case o. t&e #i,ing t&ings, in order t&at t&ere be in t&e same sub5ect an essentia##$ mo,ing part and
an essentia##$ mo,ed part, t&e substantia# .orm, -&ic& is designated b$ t&e name sou#, re1uires an
organic disposition, i.e. &eterogeneous parts.
S)04%'%()
*". Sou#s in t&e ,egetati,e and sensiti,e orders cannot subsist o. t&emse#,es, nor are t&e$
produced o. t&emse#,es. :at&er, t&e$ are no more t&an princip#es -&ereb$ t&e #i,ing t&ing e/ists
and #i,es( and since t&e$ are -&o##$ dependent upon matter, t&e$ are incidenta##$ corrupted
t&roug& t&e corruption o. t&e composite.
*,. "n t&e ot&er &and, t&e &uman sou# subsists o. itse#.. ;&en it can be in.used into a su..icient#$
disposed sub5ect, it is created b$ God. 2$ its ,er$ nature, it is incorruptib#e and immorta#.
*-. %&is rationa# sou# is united to t&e bod$ in suc& a manner t&at it is t&e on#$ substantia# .orm o.
t&e bod$. 2$ ,irtue o. &is sou# a man is a man, an anima#, a #i,ing t&ing, a bod$, a substance and
a being. %&ere.ore t&e sou# gi,es man e,er$ essentia# degree o. per.ection( moreo,er, it gi,es t&e
bod$ a s&are in t&e act o. being -&ereb$ it itse#. e/ists.
*.. 8rom t&e &uman sou# t&ere natura##$ issue .ort& po-ers pertaining to t-o orders, t&e organic
and t&e non-organic. %&e organic po-ers, among -&ic& are t&e senses, &a,e t&e composite as
t&eir sub5ect. %&e non-organic po-ers &a,e t&e sou# a#one as t&eir sub5ect. 0ence, t&e inte##ect is
a po-er intrinsica##$ independent o. an$ bodi#$ organ.
*/. 4nte##ectua#it$ necessari#$ .o##o-s upon immateria#it$, and .urt&ermore, in suc& manner t&at
t&e .at&er t&e distance .rom matter, t&e &ig&er t&e degree o. inte##ectua#it$. +n$ being is t&e
ade1uate ob5ect o. understanding in genera#. 2ut in t&e present state o. union o. sou# and bod$,
1uiddities abstracted .rom t&e materia# conditions o. indi,idua#it$ are t&e proper ob5ect o. t&e
&uman inte##ect.
*2. %&ere.ore, -e recei,e <no-#edge .rom sensib#e t&ings. 2ut since sensib#e t&ings are not
actua##$ inte##igib#e, in addition to t&e inte##ect, -&ic& .orma##$ understands, an acti,e po-er
must be ac<no-#edged in t&e sou#, -&ic& po-er abstracts inte##igib#e #i<eness or species .rom
sense images in t&e imagination.
!3. %&roug& t&ese inte##igib#e #i<enesses or species -e direct#$ <no- uni,ersa#s, i.e. t&e natures
o. t&ings. ;e attain to singu#ars b$ our senses, and a#so b$ our inte##ect, -&en it be&o#ds t&e
sense images. 2ut -e ascend to <no-#edge o. spiritua# t&ings b$ ana#og$.
!*. %&e -i## does not precede t&e inte##ect but .o##o-s upon it. %&e -i## necessari#$ desires t&at
-&ic& is presented to it as a good in e,er$ respect satis.$ing t&e appetite. 2ut it .ree#$ c&ooses
among t&e man$ goods t&at are presented to it as desirab#e according to a c&angeab#e 5udgment
or e,a#uation. )onse1uent#$, t&e c&oice .o##o-s t&e .ina# practica# 5udgment. 2ut t&e -i## is t&e
cause o. it being t&e .ina# one.
T45%D60)
!!. ;e do not percei,e b$ an immediate intuition t&at God e/ists, nor do -e pro,e it a priori. 2ut
-e do pro,e it a posteriori, i.e., .rom t&e t&ings t&at &a,e been created, .o##o-ing an argument
.rom t&e e..ects to t&e cause= name#$, .rom t&ings -&ic& are mo,ed and cannot be t&e ade1uate
source o. t&eir motion, to a .irst unmo,ed mo,er( .rom t&e production o. t&e t&ings in t&is -or#d
b$ causes subordinated to one anot&er, to a .irst uncaused cause( .rom corruptib#e t&ings -&ic&
e1ua##$ mig&t be or not be, to an abso#ute#$ necessar$ being( .rom t&ings -&ic& more or #ess are,
#i,e, and understand, according to degrees o. being, #i,ing and understanding, to t&at -&ic& is
ma/ima##$ understanding, ma/ima##$ #i,ing and ma/ima##$ a being( .ina##$, .rom t&e order o. a##
t&ings, to a separated inte##ect -&ic& &as ordered and organi>ed t&ings, and directs t&em to t&eir
end.
!+. %&e metap&$sica# motion o. t&e Di,ine ?ssence is correct#$ e/pressed b$ sa$ing t&at it is
identi.ied -it& t&e e/ercised actua#it$ o. its -on being, or t&at it is subsistent being itse#.. +nd
t&is is t&e reason .or its in.inite and un#imited per.ection.
!". 2$ reason o. t&e ,er$ purit$ o. 0is being, God is distinguis&ed .rom a## .inite beings. 0ence
it .o##o-s, in t&e .irst p#ace, t&at t&e -or#d cou#d on#$ &a,e come .rom God b$ creation(
second#$, t&at not e,en b$ -a$ o. a mirac#e can an$ .inite nature be gi,en creati,e po-er, -&ic&
o. itse#. direct#$ attains t&e ,er$ being o. an$ being( and .ina##$, t&at no created agent can in an$
-a$ in.#uence t&e being o. an$ e..ect un#ess it &as itse#. been mo,ed b$ t&e .irst )ause.
4n 191!, pub#is&ing t&e )anon @a-, Pope 2enedict XA ordered t&e met&od, doctrines and
princip#es o. St %&omas to be .o##o-ed ()ode, can. 13BB, C *) and ga,e as re.erence t&e decree
o. t&e Sacred )ongregation appro,ing t&e *4 %&esis.
Acta Apostolicae Sedis, Vl (1914), 33B, is t&e source o. t&e #ist o. t&eses. 4t e,a#uates t&em as a good statement o.
t&e princip#es and ma5or ,ie-s o. St. %&omas9 p&i#osop&$. %&e same Acta, VII (1916), 15758, re.ers to t&em as sa.e,
directi,e norms.
Sources
1. St %&. 4
a
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*. St %&. 4
a
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3. St %&. 4
a
. D.F0, a.*, ad 3 ( )ont. Gent. 4, c.3,F*,F3,F4 ( 4 Sent. Dist.19, D.*, a.* ( De ?nt.
et ?ss. c.F ( De Spir. )reat. a.1 ( De Aerit. D.*!, a.1, ad
4. St %&. 4
a
. D.13, a.F ( )ont. Gent. 4, c.3*,33,34 ( De Pot. D.!, a.!
F. St %&. 4
a
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B. St %&. 4
a
. D.*, main#$ a.1
!. St %&. 4
a
. D.F0 and .. ( De Spirit. )reat. a.1
. St %&. De Spirit. )reat. a.1
9. St %&. 4
a
. D.4F, a.4 ( De Pot. D.3, a.F, ad 3 (
10. St %&. )ont. Gent. 4A, c.BF ( 4 Sent. Dist. 3!, D.*, a.1, ad 3 ( 44 Sent. Dist. 30, D.*, a.1
11. St %&. )ont. Gent. 44, c.9*-93 ( 4
a
. D.F0, a.4 ( De ?nt. et ?ss. c.*
1*. St %&. 444
a
. D.!F ( 4A Sent. Dist. 10, a.3
13. St %&. 4
a
. D.1, a.1-* and D.!F, a.1 ( )ont. Gent. 4, c.9! ( De +nima e,er$-&ere
14. St %&. 4
a
. D.!F, a.3 and D.90, a.* ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.0 and *
1F. St %&. 4
a
. D.!F, a.* and D.90 and 11 ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.3 and ... ( De Pot. D.3, a.* ( De
+nim. a.14
1B. St %&. 4
a
. D.!B ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.FB, B-!1 ( De +nim. a.1 ( De Spirit. )reat. a.3
1!. St %&. 4
a
. D.!!-!9 ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.!* ( De +nim. a.1* and ... ( De Spirit. )reat. a.11
1. St %&. 4
a
. D.14, a.1 and D.!4, a.! and D.9, a.1-* ( )ont. Gent. 4, c.F9 and !*, and 4A, c.*
19. St %&. 4
a
. D.!9, a.3-4 and D.F, a.B-! ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.!B and ... ( De Spirit. )reat. a.10
*0. St %&. 4
a
. D.F-
*1. St %&. 4
a
. D.*-3 ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.!* and ... ( De Aerit. D.**, a.F ( De Ea#o D.11
**. St %&. 4
a
. D.* ( )ont. Gent. 4, c.1* and 31 and 444 c.10-11 ( De Aerit. D.1 and 10 ( De Pot.
D.4 and !
*3. St %&. 4
a
. D.4 , a.* and D.13, a.11 ( 4 Sent. Dist. , D.1
*4. St %&. 4
a
. D.44-4F and 10F ( )ont. Gent. 44, c.B-1F and 444 c.BB-B9 and 4A c.44 ( De Pot.
main#$ D.3, a.!