Chapter 37 — That man’s ultimate happiness consists in contemplating God

Accordingly, if man’s ultimate happiness does not consist in external things (which are called goods of chance); nor in goods of the body; nor in goods of the soul, as regards the sensitive faculty; nor as regards the intellective faculty, in the practice of moral virtue; nor as regards intellectual virtue as concerned with action (namely, art and prudence), it remains for us to conclude that man’s ultimate happiness consists in the contemplation of the truth.

For this operation alone is proper to man, and none of the other animals communicates with him in it.

Again. This is not directed to anything further as its end, since the contemplation of the truth is sought for its own sake.

Again. By this operation man is united to things above him by becoming like them, because this alone of all human actions is both in God and in separate substances.

Also, by this operation man comes into contact with those higher beings through knowing them in any way whatever.

Besides, man is more self-sufficing for this operation, seeing that he stands in little need of the help of external things in order to perform it.

Further. All other human operations seem to be directed to this as their end. For perfect contemplation requires that the body should be disencumbered, (ST I-II.4.6.) and to this effect are directed all the products of art that are necessary for life. Moreover, it requires freedom from the disturbance caused by the passions, which is achieved by means of the moral virtues and prudence; and freedom from external disturbance, to which all the regulations of the civil life are directed. So that, if we consider the matter rightly, we shall see that all human occupations are brought into the service of those who contemplate the truth.

Now, it is not possible that man’s ultimate happiness consist in contemplation based on the understanding of first principles: for this is most imperfect, as being universal and containing potential knowledge of things. Moreover, it is the beginning and not the end of human study, and comes to us from nature, and not through the study of the truth. Nor does it consist in contemplation based on the sciences that have the lowest things for their object, since happiness must consist in an operation of the intellect in relation to the highest objects of intelligence. It follows, then, that man’s ultimate happiness consists in wisdom, based on the consideration of divine things.

It is therefore evident by way of induction that man’s ultimate happiness consists solely in the contemplation of God, which conclusion was proved above by arguments. (Ch. 25.)