Prologue to Commentary on Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) is like the Bible, that is it presupposes many things and do not necessarily begin with the absolute beginning of all reasoning. As such, this text is meant to be a prologue before I begin my commentary on the CCC. This prologue will contain the exposition of the main presuppositions of the CCC. The presuppositions that will be discussed is on the nature of the self, the nature of God, and the relationship between the self and God. In terms of the self I shall discuss the intellect and the greater world. In terms of God I shall discuss His existence and His fundamental attributes. In terms of the self and God I shall discuss creation, the goal of creation, and finally revelation.

We are bodies, but the true nature of ourselves is of the intellect. The body is merely an extension of the intellect. What is an intellect? An intellect is any object capable of receiving information of reality or perception of reality, storing that information, processing that information, and acting by that information. For the record, information and perception refer to the same thing. The distinction is that information refers to the objective aspect of perception, and perception refers to the subjective aspect of information, but they really are the same thing.

As intellects are capable of perceiving reality, it means reality in general is either perception itself or united to perception. As the information of reality travels from itself to the intellect thus the intellect receives that information and is immediately perceiving that reality. This reception of reality causes an intellectual union between the intellect and reality. From that point onward, the intellect may reperceive reality as it desires though the reperception may be deficient compared to the original perception. Whether reality and the intellect are identical or not is insignificant, as however the interpretation is, they both exist equally.

The reasoning of God begins with the reasoning of existence. What is the nature of existence and reality in general? Can existence be not itself, that is non-existent? It is impossible as if they are united, then existence would persist, while non-existence can cease to exist, that is non-existence can be itself and not itself while existence can only ever be itself. This implies that existence is necessary, it means existence cannot not exist, it must always be itself. This then implies that existence is immutable. As existence cannot be not itself, it has to be itself always.

From immutability we infer that existence is simple. How is this so? There are 2 ways simplicity is defined, that is the impossibility of separation and constitution by a singular part only. In the first way, existence is necessarily simple, as if existence is composite, that is it can separate, then existence can be not itself, which violates the immutability of existence. This is strictly impossible. By the first way, existence is also simple by the following argument. If existence is composite, it is either composed of absolutely distinct parts, or it is composed of similar parts though not identical. The first is impossible as simply by being part of existence, they already possess necessity and immutability. Therefore, existence is composed of parts with at least one similarity, that is of existence itself. Yet that means the differences between the parts of existence are actually not part of the essence of existence, and as such these parts are really accidental to existence. This reduces existence to absolute simplicity.

The final inference of existence is the infinity of existence. A thing can be finite by 2 ways, by being caused or by being non-existent in some manner. Yet existence is necessary and immutable, it cannot possibly be caused by anything other than itself. Therefore, existence must be infinite in the first way. In the second way, existence cannot possess any non-existence in itself, it is by definition existence itself. Therefore, existence is infinite in the second way as well and is absolutely infinite. The existence which is necessary, immutable, absolutely simple, and absolutely infinite, is what we call God. Therefore, God must exist.

The 3 fundamental attributes of God are omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. How do we reason towards these 3 attributes? In the beginning, God is the sole existence, and since there is only God therefore He must be the cause of everything which He is not. This means He has power to cause everything. Yet God is simple, so this establishes that omnipotence or power and God are really identical. Knowledge is accurate perception of reality. Yet perception is also a thing which exists. Since God is infinite, perceptions are included in His infinite existence. Yet God is simple, so He must be perception itself and this establishes omniscience or knowledge and God to be really identical. It is perceived that goodness is something which exists. Therefore, it must be included within God, and so God must possess all goodness. Yet God is simple, so God must be goodness itself and this establishes omnibenevolence or goodness to be really identical with God Himself.

As God is goodness, He can only do good acts, He cannot cause something which is lacking in Himself. Therefore, the act of creation is for goodness. Yet God is goodness Himself, so He cannot possibly be added or subtracted in goodness or in any way at all. Therefore, God must create for the goodness of those who He creates. Yet the goodness of all things is God Himself, therefore He creates creatures to be united with Himself. We are among the creatures of God and we are intellects. Yet our way of union with any object is by knowledge, therefore our union with God will constitute in knowledge of God. This is a sufficient prologue which can be referred back to from the commentary for any point of proving.