The Commentary of Conrad of Prussia on the De Ente et Essentia of St. Thomas Aquinas

I. Introduction.- 1. The man, Conrad of Prussia.- 2. The manuscript.- 3. Conrad’s division of the De Ente et Essentia.- 4. The transcription.- 5. Unlocated quotations.- 6. The date of composition of Conrad’s commentary.- 7. Good and bad, worthwhile nonetheless.- 8. Other commentaries on the De Ente et Essentia.- II Conrad’s Commentary.- Prooemium Conradi de Prusya.- Lectio I.- Lectio II.- Lectio III.- Lectio IV.- Lectio V.- Lectio VI.- Lectio VII.- Lectio VIII.- Lectio IX.- Lectio X.- Lectio XI.- Lectio XII.- Lectio XIII.- Lectio XIV.- Lectio XV.- Lectio XVI.- III. Comments on Conred’s Commentary.- Conrad’s prooemium.- 1. The nature of philosophy.- a. Man’s need for philosophy rooted in the possible intellect.- b. Why philosophy ought to be sought.- c. How philosophy has been defined and divided.- 2. How the De Ente et Essentia is related to other parts of philosophy.- 3. The four causes of the De Ente Essentia.- Conrad’s lectiones.- Opening comment.- Lectio I.- 1. A small mistake in the beginning is a big one in the end.- 2. What the intellect first conceives is being and essence lo.- 3. The three tasks of the De Ente et Essentia.- 4. From a knowledge of being to a knowledge of essence.- 5. The first task of the De Ente Essentia a linguistic one.- 6. Ipsum ens est communius quam essentia.- 7. Quiditas et essentia non different nisi secundum respectum diver sum.- 8. Additum notabile.- Lectio II.- 1. An aspect of the relation between essence and existence.- 2. God is a simple substance.- 3. Matter is cause of the unity of a composed substance.- 4. Ipse istud non confirmat rationihus.- Lectio III.- 1. Form and essence as causes of existence.- 2. The difficulty regarding matter and the possibility of definition.- 3. Materia signata nullo modo potest in specie reperiri.- Lectio IV.- 1. Parts (simples) and wholes (composites) and predication.- Lectio V.- 1. The genus is not of one and the same nature as it is found in each.- of its diverse species.- 2. The species includes designated matter indeterminately.- Lectio VI.- 1. The essence signified as a part can be neither a species nor a genus.- nor a specific difference.- 2. The nature or essence absolutely considered.- 3. Intellectus agens facit universalitatem in rebus.- Lectio VII.- 1. Averroes‘ argument for one intellect in all men.- Lectio VIII.- 1. Avicebron and matter-form composition.- 2. Every intelligent substance is completely immaterial.- 3. Simple because neither generable nor corruptible.- 4. Matter cannot exist without form, but form can exist without matter.- 5. Verum est de essentia que totum est.- Lectio IX.- 1. Probat quomodo ipse [substantie separate] componantur ex suo esse et essentia.- 2. Hoc ipse tanquam manifestum relinquit, et non facit mentionem.- Lectio X.- 1. Ergo probata est necessitas illius dicti, scilicet quod Deus sit esse suum.- Lectio XI.- 1. God has no essence.- 2. God is not in a genus.- 3. God and the expression “universal existence”.- Lectio XII.- 1. Post separationem anime a corpore non erit talis individuatio in anima que acquisita est [a corpore].- 2. The multiple dependencies of the human soul on the body.- Lectio XIII.- The form of a sensible substance is its simple difference.- A possible objection.- A possible misunderstanding.- Lectio XIV.- 1. Accidental forms are like substantial forms.- Lectio XV.- 1. Some corrections.- Lectio XVI.- 1. The concentrating and the scattering.- Concluding comment.