The Doctrine of Free Choice in Saint Bonaventure

THE DOCTRINE OF FREE CHOICE IN SAINT BONAVENTURE1 The doctrine of free choice as developed by St. Bonaventure gives us an example of the dialectical development of scholasticism in the Middle Ages. The Saint's exposition of this point includes a survey of all the previous doctrines and an attempt to reconcile as many of them as possible. The result is a doctrine of free choice which is much more comprehensive than the doctrines of his predecessors. To understand St. Bonaventure's doctrine of free choice it will first be necessary to consider the nature of the soul and its faculties of reason and will. For the Saint maintains that free choice is a habit of reason and will. I Like many of the scholastic writers, St. Bonaventure nowhere gives an explicit proof for the existence of the soul. Although it is the form of the body, it is also a spiritual substance, composed of spiritual matter and form, which are necessary to explain the soul's limitation and mutability.2 Spiritual matter, however, does not destroy the simplicity and immortality of the soul, since, unlike corporeal matter, it does not imply quantitative parts.3 In their metaphysical content spiritual and corporeal matter are essentially the same; but in its actual physical existence matter is either spiritual or corporeal depending upon the form which determines its mode of existence.4 The substantial unity of the soul also does not destroy the substantial unity of man, because body and soul have a mutual appetite and inclination toward each other which constitutes the bond of substantial unity.5 St. Bonaventure introduces his conception of faculties of the soul by stating that they are required to explain the operations of the soul. For if the soul did not have faculties through which it could operate, 1 The translation of liberum arbitrium as free choice seems preferable to free will or freedom of choice. As well as being a more accurate translation of the Latin, it does not prejudice the question as to the precise relationship of liberum arbitrium to the powers of reason and will. 2 In II Sent., d. 17, a. 1, q. 2, ad 5 (II, p. 415b). Anima autem non tantum est forma, immo etiam est hoc aliquid. 3 Ibid. (II, p. 415 a). 4 In II Sent., d. 3, p. 1, a. 1, q. 3 (II, p. ioob). 5 Breviloquium, p. 7, c. 5 (V, p. 286b). 1 Franciscan Studies, 1958I 2 W. G. THOMPSON then the operation of the soul would be identified with its existence; and since the soul always exists, it would always operate — which is clearly against common experience.6 These faculties are really distinct from the soul because they go out from the soul in their operations.7 But at the same time they are not essentially distinct from the soul, but rather cosubstantial with the soul, because they proceed immediately from the soul and do not require an accident added to the substance of the soul. They are essential to the soul because without them the soul could never exist in its fullest perfection.8 The spirituality of the soul explains how the faculties can proceed immediately from it without the intervention of an accident. Thus the Saint concludes that the faculties are cosubstantial with the soul, but not completely the same as the soul.9 He seems to be straining in an effort to express an Augustinian concept in the terminology of Aristotle. The real, though, non-essential, distinction between the soul and its faculties is the key to understanding the distinction which St. Bonaventure makes between the faculties themselves, especially between reason and will. He proves that reason and will must be distinct from the different operations of knowing and loving.10 But the real distinction between them is only in the genus of faculties, since both faculties are cosubstantial with the soul.11 St. Bonaventure has a hard time expressing this very close connection of the faculties with the soul, and hence with each other. Nevertheless it is an important point and contributes greatly toward an adequate understanding of free choice. St. Bonaventure divides the faculties of the soul according...