The Journey of the Soul into God: Itinerarium Mentis in Deum

Chapter 2

119 St. Bonaventure’s Itinerarium mentis in Deum Chapter 2 1 Concerning the structure of bodies and the function of light, cf. Breviloquium, II, 3 (V, 220). On the interesting speculations on light which is the first substantial form of bodies and which bringsaboutthevariouscompositionoftheelementsintomixta, or inorganic bodies, and into complexionata, or organic bodies, cf. Gilson, The Philosophy of Saint Bonaventure, pp. 245-264. 2 The theory that angels have the physical function of governing the heavenly mechanics is adopted by Saint Bonaventure as probable. Cf. II Sent., 14, 1, 3, 2 (II, 349): …Deus movet caelum mediante intelligentia creata sive mediante Angelo; et hoc competebat ordini, quem Deus constituit universo.... Et ideo, sicut congruum est, Angelos deputari ad ministerium hominum, sic etiam congruum est, deputari ad motum et regimen caelorum, cuminhocetiamministrenthominiviatorietdivinaesubserviant maiestati (God moves the heavens by means of created intelligences or Angels; and this agrees with the way God created the universe in the beginning.... And therefore it is fitting that Angels should be deputed to minister to human beings just as it is fitting that they be deputed to move and to rule the heavens since by doing this they also are serving human beings still in history, and they are subject to the divine majesty). Although the Seraphic Doctor is not opposed to this theory of the ancient philosophers, his main interest is focused on the second – the spiritual and supernatural function, that is, to lend assistance to humanity. About this function, cf. II Sent.,10 and 11 (II, 259 ff.). 3 Sensus intermedii – corpora intermedia.The Seraphic Doctor has in mind here the position of the sense organs and bodies. 120 St. Bonaventure’s Itinerarium mentis in Deum In the human body the eyes have the highest position, and the hands,chieforgansoftouch,havethelowest.Oftheelements,fire reachesfarthestupward,andearthhasthelowestpositionunder the water. The correspondance between the macrocosmos and the microcosmos, that is, between the universe and the human body, was quite familiar to the medieval person. Cf. Elucidarium, I, 2 (PL 172, 1116), where this analogy is carried through almost every organ of the human body. The corpora sublimia are the heavenly bodies not only because of their position but also because of their substance which is not of the same nature as any of the four elements. It is of a quinta essentia, and is more noble because it is not subject to contrariety, but rather reconciles and conserves the contrariety of the elements. Cf. II Sent., 14, 1, 1, 2 (II, 339) and also op. cit., 12, 2 (II, 302). 4 Quatuor primariae qualitates, the four primary qualities.They are calidum, frigidum, humidum, siccum (hot, cold, humid, dry), and are perceived by the touch which is considered the basic sense. These qualities are called primary because they are the basic qualities of the elements. 5 Sensibilia communia, common sense objects. They are common because they are perceived by more than one sense in contrast to the sensibilia particularia, which are perceived by one sense only. 6 Apprehensio,sense-apprehension.Theprocessdescribedhere by Saint Bonaventure needs some explanation. The following should be distinguished one from another: bodies themselves as sense-objects; the species or similitudes of these bodies which are generated by them and radiate about them; the medium in whichthesespeciesaregenerated,forexample,theairinthecase of visible and audible species; the exterior sense organ which is the same as the bodily organ, and as such, part of the body; the interior sense organ which is the perfection of the exterior sense organ; and finally, the apprehensive power itself, which is a part 121 St. Bonaventure’s Itinerarium mentis in Deum of the soul and always remains in the soul, and which is capable ofsenseperception.Wehesitatetoequatetheinteriororganwith the interior sense or the sensus communis, as seems commonly to be done. Another possible and perhaps better explanation could be that the interior organ is the organ of the interior sense, since it also needs an organ: Sensus sive interior sive exterior est potentia egens organo determinato (A sense whether interior or exterior is a power that needs a specific organ). – IV Sent., 50, 2, 1, 1, fund. 2 (IV, 1045). The sense-apprehension, as described in this passage by Saint Bonaven-ture, comprehends both the activity of the exterior senses, which apprehend the particular sense qualities, and the activity of the interior senses. Of the latter, Saint Bonaventure distinguishes four: the common sense (sensus communis), which apprehends common sense qualities – in sensibilibus...