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80. The Appetitive Human Faculties

1. Everything has an inclination towards what accords withits nature; this inclination or tendency is called appetency orappetite. Things that lack knowledge have naturalappetency only; this is exampled in the tendency of a plant togrow, of a body to cohere, of a stone to fall to the ground. Livingbodies that have knowledge (animals and men) have, in addition tonatural appetency, tendencies that are roused in them by theirknowing, by their cognition; these are cognitionalappetites. Cognitional appetency is of two orders: the order ofsense, and the order of intellect. Sentient or sensitive appetencyinclines animal or man towards what is sensed as good or desirable,and away from what is sensed as evil or harmful. Intellectualappetency inclines intelligent creatures (angels and men) towardswhat is intellectually understood as good, and away from what isunderstood as evil. The intellectual appetency or appetite iscalled the will.

2. The will is a faculty distinct from the sentientappetite, for it belongs to the intellective order, not thesensitive order. These two appetites sometimes conflict, as, forexample, when a Catholic has hunger (i.e., sentient appetite) formeat on Friday, but wills not to eat it.

"It is not God's will that we should abound in spiritual delights, but that in all things we should submit to his holy will."
Blessed Henry Suso

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"God commands not impossibilities, but by commanding he suggests to you to do what you can, to ask for what is beyond your strength; and he helps you, that you may be able."
St Augustine

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"God has no need of men."
St Philip Neri

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