relation to the act of the intellect, as laziness does to external
work.

Reply Obj. 5: He who is amazed shrinks at present from forming a
judgment of that which amazes him, fearing to fall short of the
truth, but inquires afterwards: whereas he who is overcome by stupor
fears both to judge at present, and to inquire afterwards. Wherefore
amazement is a beginning of philosophical research: whereas stupor
is a hindrance thereto.
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QUESTION 42

OF THE OBJECT OF FEAR
(In Six Articles)

We must now consider the object of fear: under which head there are
six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether good or evil is the object of fear?

(2) Whether evil of nature is the object of fear?

(3) Whether the evil of sin is an object of fear?

(4) Whether fear itself can be feared?

(5) Whether sudden things are especially feared?

(6) Whether those things are more feared against which there is no
remedy?
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FIRST ARTICLE [I-II, Q. 42, Art. 1]

Whether the Object of Fear Is Good or Evil?

Objection 1: It would seem that good is the object of fear. For
Augustine says (QQ. 83, qu. 83) that "we fear nothing save to lose
what we love and possess, or not to obtain that which we hope for."
But that which we love is good. Therefore fear regards good as its
proper object.

Obj. 2: Further, the Philosopher says (Rhet. ii, 5) that "power and
to be above another is a thing to be feared." But this is a good
thing. Therefore good is the object of fear.

Obj. 3: Further, there can be no evil in God. But we are commanded to
fear God, according to Ps. 33:10: "Fear the Lord, all ye saints."
Therefore even the good is an object of fear.

_On the contrary,_ Damascene says (De Fide Orth. ii, 12) that fear is
of future evil.

_I answer that,_ Fear is a movement of the appetitive power. Now it
belongs to the appetitive power to pursue and to avoid, as stated in
_Ethic._ vi, 2: and pursuit is of good, while avoidance is of evil.
Consequently whatever movement of the appetitive power implies
pursuit, has some good for its object: and whatever movement implies
avoidance, has an evil for its object. Wherefore, since fear implies
an avoidance, in the first place and of its very nature it regards
evil as its proper object.

It can, however, regard good also, in so far as referable to evil.
This can be in two ways. In one way, inasmuch as an evil causes
privation of good. Now a thing is evil from