General Overview (5)

Let us universalize the results of this brief analysis, thereby distinguishing the thinking subject:

(a) The operation itself or the act of the mind as expressing its content (the thought in the sense of act).
(b) The product ("opera o operato") made up of the mind inside itself (the thought in the sense of product), which is an instrument, but not the object of knowledge.
(c) The linguistic expression, external or simply internal, of this mental product, different in each language.
(d) The sensible image, and therefore not formally intellectual, which accompanies the intellective process.

Three clarifications seem of utmost importance:

1) The properly intellective dimension of our conscience is made up of only the first two moments, (a) and (b), although in concreto there is never intellection without a simultaneous linguistic expression and sense perception or imaginative representation
2) Not all philosophies admit the existence of an intellective dimension specifically different from that of sense. There are many forms of sensual empiricism which confuse them and reduce the mental product to a mere linguistic expression.
3) In some systems, even in some interpretations of Thomism, an intellectual representation is interposed between the product of the mind and the aspect of reality which it makes known. According to this view, the meaning is distinguished from the referent of the product: for example, "Venus" and "morning star" would have the same referent, but different meanings. This dissociation seems contrary to realism in knowledge, because one would not come to know the thing by means of the product of the mind, but rather the immanent meaning or sense of such an operation.