Formally
Formally
(in Scholasticism) Is sometimes trtken for mentally, i.e. according to the formalities which we distinguish by the mind alone. When formally is so understood, it has as its correlative really. Thus the omnipotence and the wisdom of God are not really but formally distinct.
It is also said of the thing considered in itself or in its proper entity. It then has various correlatives as the aspects of the thing compared vary
(1) If compared with an effect, its correlative will be efficientlye.g. food is the life of man not formally but efficiently.
(2) If compared with an object, its correlative will be objectivelye.g. God is said to be the hope of a just man not formally but objectively i.e. God is not the hope of man, but the object of that hope.
(3) If compared with in exemplar, a likeness in accordance with which a thing is made, the correlative will be exemplarilye.g. the image of Caesar existing in the painter’s imagination concurs with the picture of Caesar’s image not formally but exemplarily.
(4) If compaied with an end, the correlative is finallye.g. eternal happiness is said to move man to act rightly not formally but finally, as in end to be attained.
(5) If compared with another thing connected with it, whose existence is inferred from or simply accompanies it, its correlative will be illatively connectivelye.g. in smoke we recognize fire not formally but illatively.
(6) If compared with a thing whose existence is imputed to it, its correlative will be imputativly.
(7) If compared with a thing of which it is the root, the correlative will be radically, e.g. we say that almost all evils consist in a disordered self-love not formally but radically.
(8) If compared with those qualities which constitute a disposition for having that thing, the correlative will be dispositively. Thus the dryness of wood will result in fire not formally but dispositively.
(9) If compared with a thing from which it receives some denomination (or designation) its correlative will be denominatively e.g. when some part of the body is formally ill, man himself or the whole man is said to be denominatively ill.
Meaning the same as truly and properly — then it has as correlativesapparently, metaphorically.
Meaning the same as essentially, so that the predicate which is said to belong the subject formally, enters into the essence and definition of the subject. Thus man is formally animal. Formally, so understood has various correlatives, according to the various aspects under which the essence of a thing can be considered
(1) An essence can be compared with accidental predicates and then its correlative is accidentallye.g. a man is said to be not formally, but accidentally white.
(2) An essence can be compared with the attributes or parts of a thing which like the matter of a subject may indifferently constitute that thing or another, and then the correlative is materiallye.g. man is said to be materially flesh.
When said of an effectAn effect is taken formally when it is looked at according to itself, but it is taken radically or fundamentally when it is looked at according to its cause, root, or foundation. Thus visibility taken formally is a property of man, and is distinguished by the mind from rationality; but taken radically, it is the same as rationality, inasmuch as rationality is the root of visibility.
When referring to causes containing the perfection of their effect. Formally, virtually, and eminently are said of causes according as they contain the perfection of their effect. For an effect is said to be contained formally in its cause, when the nature of the effect which is produced, is found in the cause itself, thus heat is contained formally in fire, because fire also contains in itself the heat which it produce. An effect is contained virtually in its cause when the cause can indeed produce such an effect, but the nature of the effect is not found in the cause itself, e.g. the statue is contained virtually in the artist. Lastly, an effect is contained eminently in its cause, when the cause is much more perfect than the effect and is without the imperfections which are found in the effect. E.g. God eminently contains the perfections of creatures. — H.G.