18 August 2019

The Catechism of the Summa - The Second Part: VII. OF THE AFFECTIVE MOVEMENTS IN MAN WHICH ARE CALLED THE PASSIONS (C)

(C)

Is it only in the sensitive part of man that there are movements of love, desire, delight, hate, aversion, sadness, hope, daring, fear, despair, and anger?

These same movements are to be found also in the will.

What difference is there between these movements in 
so far as they are in the sensitive part, and in so far as they are in the will?

There is this difference, that in the sensitive part they always imply the co-operation of the organism or of the body, whereas in the will they are purely spiritual (XXXI. 4).

When one speaks of movements of the heart, of which affective movements is there question, of those of the sensitive part or of those of the will?

Properly speaking, there is question of the movements of the sensitive part; but in a metaphorical sense there is a question also of those of the will.

When then one speaks of the heart of man, can there be question of this twofold sort of movement?

Yes, when one speaks of the heart of man, there can be question of this twofold kind of movement.

And when it is said of a man that he has heart, what is meant by that?

When it is said of a man that he has heart, one means to imply that at times he is affectionate and tender-hearted, of whatever kind of affection there may be question, whether of the purely sensitive or of the spiritual order, and at other times one means to imply that he is courageous and virile.

Why is it sometimes said and what is meant by saying that one must watch over one's heart?

When it is said that one must watch over one's heart, one means that it is necessary to take care lest one follow indiscreetly the first affective movements, especially of the sensitive order, which tend to make us seek what is pleasing and to shrink from what is displeasing.

One speaks sometimes of the training of the heart; what does this mean?

This means that one must endeavour to have only good affective movements.

This education of the heart, thus understood, is it of any importance?

Yes, for this education of the heart, thus understood, embraces the whole of man's activity in the acquisition of virtue and the shunning of vice.

Next - The Catechism of the Summa - The Second Part: VIII. OF THE VIRTUES WHICH CAN AND OUGHT TO BE THE PRINCIPLE OF MAN'S GOOD ACTS (A)

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