Summa 94-103, Logic Museum

Questions 94-103 now available. There are some interesting observations on sexual reproduction in question 98. How would humans have reproduced in Paradise, without original sin, and in a state of innocence? Gregory of Nyssa said that the human race would have multiplied by some other means than the usual one. St Thomas objects that the usual method is natural to man by reason of his being an animal. And the 'corporeal members' must have had a natural use before sin. Thus the order of nature requires that there should be 'concurrence' of male and female for purposes of generation.

However, in the state of innocence there would have been no 'excessive concupiscence' (immoderata concupiscentia), when the lower members were entirely subject to reason. For which reason Augustine says (De Civ. Dei xiv, 26): "We must be far from supposing that offspring could not be begotten without concupiscence. All the bodily members would have been equally moved by the will, without ardent or wanton incentive, with calmness of soul and body."