Aristotelian & Thomist thought (Introduction)

by dhw, Saturday, July 06, 2013, 08:58 (4159 days ago) @ David Turell

dhw: "Intelligible" = can be understood. Intelligible to whom? Who decides what is the "proper" object of an intellect? What sort of "thing" is he talking about? Is a disembodied sound more "intelligible" than a potato? Is the intellect more easily understood than the workings of the hip joint? Is anything immaterial essentially intelligible? Is anything immaterial essentially existent? Can any essentially immaterial existence be essentially intelligible since without material manifestation its existence cannot even be perceived let alone understood? As Feser is your favourite philosopher, David, I can only assume that you find all of this intelligible.-DAVID: I do. Remember, Feser got to this point from atheism, so there is a thoughtful road.-And I suspect that is the sole reason why he is one of your favourite philosophers. In my not very humble opinion, the point of language is to communicate, and I'm sorry, but I find Feser's language frequently unintelligible and self-consciously clever to the point of absurdity ... which is why I parodied it in my post. You have, understandably, ignored both his comments and mine, and they should indeed be ignored. The clear and concise quote you have provided below, presumably translated, illustrates my objections to Feser (who may be the nicest and cleverest man in the world for all I know ... I am only expressing my dislike of his philosophical waffle):
 
"As a man who has devoted his whole life to the most clear headed science, to the study of matter, I can tell you as a result of my research about atoms this much: There is no matter as such. All matter originates and exists only by virtue of a force which brings the particle of an atom to vibration and holds this most minute solar system of the atom together. We must assume behind this force the existence of a conscious and intelligent mind. This mind is the matrix of all matter."
Max Planck ... The Father Of Quantum Mechanics
 
You do not have to be a philosopher or a physicist to understand it. Like your own writing, it is not an attempt to dazzle the reader with the author's brilliance, or to create a philosophical barrage of words used independently of their everyday context and meaning in order to convey the impression of logic and profundity. Language, we all know, is an inadequate tool, and we frequently need several exchanges to sort out its implications and associations, but don't tell me you find Feser's language even remotely accessible.
 
DAVID: All I have to do is understand the basis of our reality is the quicksand of the quantum and I see God staring at me. It starts with accepting a first cause that is energy, thoughtful, organized energy.-I understand. Now explain to me what you understand by "the Necessary Existent has its existence essentially, and being an immaterial kind of existence its existence is something essentially intelligible." On second thoughts, don't bother.