The relationship between intellect and senses: Thomas Aquinas' view

In this paper I will examine the relation between our intellect and sensation through Thomas Aquinas' thought. Since Plato western philosophy has primarily focused on more intellect than sensation, which has been regarded as being inferior to intellect. Thomas Aquinas criticizes Platonism because human beings don't know Form without matter. Unlike Plato Thomas Aquinas begins with his epistemology based on fact that all knowledge arise from sensation like Aristotle or empiricists. Even though knowledge originates from sensation, he asserts the priority of intellect. Through Thomas Aquinas we will discuss the proper relationship between intellect and sensation just as Kant synthesizes Continental rationalism and British empiricism though he emphasizes some preeminence in intellect. By examining relation between intellect and sensation we will know that he holds the two aspects of Realism and Nominalism. This is the purpose of this paper. I will expose this process by examining especially in the light of intellect and sensation that work together in our perception through the detailed reading on Thomas Aquinas' own epistemological view. According to Thomas Aquinas, being is made up of essence and esse. For him the first principles of knowledge of human being are the operation of sensation. Namely, All knowledge begin with sensation. Further, its contents is acquired through it. To do this he illustrates it through operation of sensation and that of intellect. This assertion is basically based on the insight that each thing follows its mode of existence in the mode of action, and that human being is intrinsically composed of body and soul. Proposition that both all knowledges and their contents arise sensation is that what human intellect has has already included in sensation. But what is not within sensation is within intellect. Thomas Aquinas explains it through the operation of abstraction of agent intellect. Agent intellect can abstract intelligible species in sense species, carving in possible intellect. And then it is confirmed by the agent intellect and expressed in intellect species. That is a concept. The agent intellect gives back it to beings. This action of giving back is the operation of judgement. Through these processes I try to assert that Thomas Aquinas stands midway between extreme Realism and Nominalism.