--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is, therefore, a more perfect…" description: "\"There is, therefore, a more perfect intellectual life in the angels. In them the intellect does not proceed to self-knowledge from anything exterior, b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/thomas-aquinas-837_angel_there-is-therefore-a-more-perfect-intell_754038.jpg" --- # There is, therefore, a more perfect intellectual life in… ![“There is, therefore, a more perfect intellectual life in the angels. In them the intellect does not proceed to self-knowledge from anything exterior, but knows itself through itself…” quote by Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/thomas-aquinas-837_angel_there-is-therefore-a-more-perfect-intell_754038.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/thomas-aquinas-837_angel_there-is-therefore-a-more-perfect-intell_754038.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/thomas-aquinas-837_angel_there-is-therefore-a-more-perfect-intell_754038.jpg) > “There is, therefore, a more perfect intellectual life in the angels. In them the intellect does not proceed to self-knowledge from anything exterior, but knows itself through itself…” [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Angels possess a pure intellect that knows itself without external input. **In simple terms:** Angels know themselves directly. Key Takeaway Seek self‑knowledge beyond external validation. Themes philosophy theology metaphysics Mood contemplative scholarly Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - spiritual contemplation - academic study - meditation Key Concepts self‑knowledge pure intellect Questions to Reflect On - Can humans approach self‑knowledge without external references? - What limits our self‑understanding? 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Sometimes I think the history of our times can be described…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-v-schall/there-is-an-intimate-connection-between-our-moral-life-and-our/) [James V. 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Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. 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