Question 102. Whether she knew Logic?

Latin (Borgnet)English

p. 161

QUAESTIO CII. Utrum sciverit Logicam?

Post haec quaeritur de logica, quam quod sciverit, probatur hoc modo:

1. Haec enim perutilissima est ad scientiam sacrae Scripturae, et ad haeresum destructionem, et fidei confirmationem, et rationis redditionem de ea quae est in nobis fide: ergo ista scientia maxime necessaria est sanctis: ergo et beatissimae Virgini.

2. Item, Hieronymus dicit, quod liber Job continet propositiones, assumptiones, conclusiones. Et idem patet de aliis libris sacrae Scripturae, in quibus sunt viae diffinitionum, divisionum, argumentationum: haec igitur omnia necessaria sunt ad sacram Scripturam: ergo et logica in qua docentur ista: sed beatissima Virgo perfecte scivit sacram Scripturam: ergo et logicam.

3. Item, Patet percurrendo logicae partes, quae sunt tentativa, sophistica, demonstrativa, dialectica. Tentativam enim in summo scivit: quia numquam in tentatione succubuit. Sophisticam in summo habuit: quia omnes astutias diaboli cognovit, et omnia sophismata sua patefecit. Dialecticam in summo habuit: quia nullius proprie ignorantiam habuit, et problemata solvere scivit. Demonstrativam habuit in summo: quia nobilissimam propriam passionem de nobilissimo proprio subjecto per semetipsam conclusit. Summe nobile subjectum est prima et summa bonitas: nobilissima propria passio est misericordia sive miseratio: hanc igitur propriam passionem de hoc subjecto beatissima Virgo conclusit, quando per eam tamquam per medium summe bonus Deus, in opere nostrae redemptionis summam misericordiam in se demonstravit. Quasi tali uteretur demonstratione: Quicumque aufert omne malum auferibile, et confert omne bonum conferibile, ipse est summe misericors: Deus homo in nostra redemptione abstulit omne malum auferibile, et contulit omne bonum conferibile: ergo est summe misericors Deus.

Sic igitur patet, quod beatissima Virgo habuit omnes partes logicae in summo ¹.

QUESTION 102. Whether she knew Logic?

After this inquiry is made about logic; that she knew it is proved in this way:

1. For this is most useful for knowledge of sacred Scripture, and for the destruction of heresies, and for the confirmation of faith, and for the rendering of an account concerning that faith which is in us. Therefore that knowledge is especially necessary for the saints. Therefore it was also especially necessary for the most blessed Virgin.

2. Likewise, Jerome says that the book of Job contains propositions, assumptions, and conclusions. And the same is clear concerning other books of sacred Scripture, in which there are ways of definitions, divisions, and argumentations. Therefore all these things are necessary for sacred Scripture. Therefore so also logic, in which those things are taught. But the most blessed Virgin perfectly knew sacred Scripture. Therefore she also knew logic.

3. Likewise, it is clear by running through the parts of logic, which are tentative, sophistical, demonstrative, and dialectical. For she knew the tentative part in the highest degree, because she never succumbed in temptation. She had the sophistical part in the highest degree, because she knew all the devil’s astutenesses and laid bare all his sophisms. She had the dialectical part in the highest degree, because she had ignorance properly of nothing, and knew how to solve problems. She had the demonstrative part in the highest degree, because through herself she concluded the noblest proper passion from the noblest proper subject. The supremely noble subject is the first and highest goodness; the noblest proper passion is mercy or compassion. Therefore the most blessed Virgin concluded this proper passion from this subject, when through her as through a middle term the supremely good God, in the work of our redemption, demonstrated the highest mercy in himself. As though she used such a demonstration: Whoever removes every removable evil and confers every conferable good, he is supremely merciful; God-man in our redemption removed every removable evil and conferred every conferable good; therefore he is the supremely merciful God.

Thus therefore it is clear that the most blessed Virgin had all the parts of logic in the highest degree ¹.

Notes

For the solution of the objections, see below after Question CXI. (Pro solutione objectorum, vide infra post Quaest. CXI.) ↩