Action in Aquinas

Abstract

I USE CERTAIN TEXTS OF ST THOMAS TO SHOW THAT HE DOES NOT THINK THAT THE DIVISION OF ACTION USUALLY REFERRED TO BY SCHOLASTICS WITH PHRASES LIKE "ACTIO IMMANENS" AND "ACTIO TRANSITIVA" IS EXCLUSIVE. I SHOW FURTHERMORE THAT IT IS HIS VIEW THAT "ACTIO" REFERS PRIMARILY TO A PERFECTION WHICH REMAINS IN AN AGENT AND THAT SUCH A PERFECTION IS NEITHER ESSENTIALLY PRODUCTIVE NOR ESSENTIALLY NON-PRODUCTIVE. THE AGENTS IN HIS UNIVERSE ARE NOT LINKED TOGETHER BY NECESSARY CONNECTIONS IN VIRTUE OF THEIR ACTIONS, FOR THEIR ACTIONS ARE NEITHER ESSENTIALLY PRODUCTIVE NOR ESSENTIALLY NON-PRODUCTIVE.