“If man of himself could in a perfect manner know all things visible and invisible, it would indeed be foolish to believe what he does not see. But our manner of knowing is so weak that no philosopher could perfectly investigate the nature of even one little fly.”

— Thomas Aquinas

Sermon on the Apostles' Creed (1273), prologue (trans. Joseph B. Collins)

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Thomas Aquinas 104

Italian Dominican scholastic philosopher of the Roman Catho… 1225–1274

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Context: That low man seeks a little thing to do,
Sees it and does it.
This high man, with a great thing to pursue,
Dies ere he knows it.
That low man goes on adding one to one,—
His hundred's soon hit;
This high man, aiming at a million,
Misses an unit.
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Let the world mind him!
This throws himself on God, and unperplexed
Seeking shall find him.

“If man of himself could in a perfect manner know all things visible and invisible, it would indeed be foolish to believe what he does not see. But our manner of knowing is so weak that no philosopher could perfectly investigate the nature of even one little fly.”

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Thomas Aquinas 104

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