Introduction to the Philosophy of Saint Augustine (continued)
foreign item it contains and to make it stand for sensation only and for all that is sensation?
Ev. Yes, I think so; but what addition can be made, I do not know. Aug. Every sensation is certainly an effect on the body of which the soul is not unaware. But this proposition cannot be converted, because of that action on the body as a result of which it grows or shrinks, with our knowing it—that is, the soul is aware of it.
Ev. That is right. Aug. Now, does the soul become aware of this through the action itself or through something else?
Ev. Obviously, through some other factor. It is one thing to see that the nails are longer; another to know that they grow.
Aug. Since, then, growth itself is an action which we do not experience by any of the senses, while the increase in size which we do know by the senses is a result of the same action but is not the action itself, it is obvious that we know such an action not through itself but through something else. Therefore, if it were not through something else that the soul is aware of it, would it not be known by the senses rather than by inference?
Ev. I understand. Aug. Why, then, do you hesitate regarding what is to be added to the definition?
Ev. I see now that sensation is to be defined thus: it is a bodily experience that of itself does not escape the soul's awareness; for every sensation is just that, and each time you have that, you have, I believe, sensation.
49. Aug. If that is true, I admit the definition is perfect. But let us put it to a test, if you will, to see whether it is not shaky because of that second fault, as was the definition of man to which "grammarian" was added. You recall, of course, that it was said that "man is a mortal rational grammarian animal," and that this definition is faulty, because, though the converse of it is true, the original proposition is false. For it is false that "every man is a rational, mortal, grammarian animal," though it is true that "every rational, mortal, grammarian animal is a man." Wherefore, this definition is unsound for the reason that although it applies to man alone, it does not apply to every man. And it may be that the definition we are boasting of as perfect, is like that. For,jalthough the body's every experience directly entering the awareness of the soul is a sensation, still not every sensation is such.| You may understand that in this way: brute animals have sense experience, and practically all of