Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J.F.

Buch: The Trinune God: Systematics

Titel: The Triune God: Systematics

Stichwort: Wortgebrauch (Thomas); energeia, poiesis - actio, operatio;

Kurzinhalt: The Greek words energeia, 'act,' and poiesis, 'making,' were both rendered into Latin by the words actio and operatio. Hence in reading St Thomas one must always determine from the context whether the word actio or the word operatio ...

Textausschnitt: 1 The Words 'Action' and 'Operation'

535a The Greek words energeia, 'act,' and poiesis, 'making,' were both rendered into Latin by the words actio and operatio. Hence in reading St Thomas one must always determine from the context whether the word actio or the word operatio refers to act or to an exercise of efficient causality. (Fs)
You will find a number of examples of this flexibility in usage in Theological Studies 8:3 (1947) 416-17, 434-37 [Verbum 119-21, 138-43]-

535b For example, 'operation' in this text means act: 'Every operation of the soul is the act of either an active or a passive potency' (In II De anima, lect. 6, §305). (Fs)

But, here 'operation' means to exercise efficient causality: 'The operation of some effect is attributed not to the movable thing but to the mover' (Summa theologiae, 1-2, q. m, a. 2 c). (Fs)

535c 'Action' in this case means act: 'Every action belongs either to an active potency or to a passive potency. But an object is to the act of a passive potency ... But (an object is) to the act of an active potency ...' (Summa theologiae, 1, q. 77, a. 3 a). (Fs)

But 'action' means here to exercise efficient causality: 'In action there is implied a reference "as that from which there is movement in the movable thing ..."' (Summa theologiae, 1, q. 28, a 3, ad im.)1