Liber de Causis (The Book of Causes) (1990) - Page 19

single most important factor for the profound influence exerted by the De causis on the metaphysical speculation of the period.

The author of the Liber does not present any divisio textus original: "divisio textus"; modern: "division of the text" or "structural outline" of his own, nor does the treatise have any strict organization or structure that unifies the propositions. Nevertheless, in a good example of a reverenter expositio original: "reverenter expositio"; modern: "respectful exposition" or "reverent commentary" of a text, St. Thomas Aquinas suggests the following outline for the treatise, based upon the Neo-Platonic conception of causality and the higher realities of the Neo-Platonic universe. 36.

St. Thomas' Outline of the Liber De Causis

The purpose of this work is to give an explanation of the first causes of things.

I. GENERAL PRINCIPLE: The Gradation of Causes: [Prop. 1]

A. The first cause flows over more into the effect than the second cause B. The impression of the first cause recedes more slowly from the effect C. The impression of the first cause comes to the effect prior to the impression of the second cause

II. THE FIRST CAUSES OF THINGS [Props. 2–31]

A. Distinctions Concerning First Causes [Props. 2–15] 1. Division of first causes [Props. 2–5] 2. Explanation of individual causes [Props. 6–15]