illumination, divine

   The theory of divine illumination is the theory that human cognition is supplemented by divine action. The idea can be found among the Greek philosophers such as in Plato's theory of recollection and Aristotle's discussion of the active intellect (De Anima: III, 5). Subsequent interpreters of Aristotle differed on whether he conceived an ongoing divine supplementation of the human mind or a divinely infused capacity. Augustine of Hippo adopted the former interpretation, noting that Christ is the light that lightens every man (John 1: 9). While Augustine's interpretation was to be defended by many Christian philosophers, including Bonaventure, Thomas Aquinas took the latter interpretation, viewing this illumination as infused from birth. While this amounted to an affirmation of innate illumination, it heralded the demise of both types of theory, though a novel form arose later in the work of Malebranche. To be sure, the phenomena that the theory seeks to explain, including concept acquisition and synthetic a priori knowledge, remain as puzzling as ever, but to most people today an appeal to divine illumination smacks of an appeal to the 'God of the gaps' that is at least as mysterious as the phenomena it attempts to explain.

   See Augustine of Hippo; ideas, divine; Malebranche, Nicolas; reason; revelation

   Further reading: Marrone 2001; Pasnau 1997; Thompson, Silvanus Phillips 1907