A thing cannot be bad for us through the quality which it has in common with our nature, but it is bad for us in so far as it is contrary to our nature.
A thing cannot be conceived as a modification of another unless it is modified by it; this is what the words express.
A thing cannot be and not be at the same time: "impossibile est idem simul esse et non esse.
What is denied is not a perfection, but an absurdity: wherefore St. Thomas very opportunely observes, that we should much better say that the thing cannotbe done, than that God cannot do it.
And the reason alleged is that a thing cannot be the efficient cause of itself: the efficient cause is necessarily extrinsic to the effect and cannot be really identical with the latter.
This is evidently true of extrinsic possibility; but our knowledge even of the intrinsic possibility of a thing cannot be the first knowledge we possess in the order of time.
For all these involve a denial of the logical law of contradiction that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time.
But this is evidently not true of general ideas, such as that a thing cannot both be and not be, that the whole is greater than its part, and so on.
First, it may be taken in the sense in which we apply the term "necessary" to that without which a thing cannot be at all; thus food is necessary to an animal.
Secondly, because a thing cannot be due matter for sale if the vendor is not the owner thereof, as appears from the authority quoted (Obj.
Secondly, it may be taken for something without which a thing cannot be becomingly.
But such a thing cannot be, because the secondary instrumental cause does not participate the action of the superior cause, except inasmuch as by something proper to itself it acts dispositively to the effect of the principal agent.
This cannot be the case if in one act he wills both end and means; for a thing cannot be its own cause.
Now if a thing cannot attain to something by the power of its nature, it must be directed thereto by another; thus, an arrow is directed by the archer towards a mark.
Cyprian's expression is to be taken in the same sense in which we say that a thing cannot be, which cannot be suitably.
The above list will hopefully provide you with a few useful examples demonstrating the appropriate usage of "thing cannot" in a variety of sentences. We hope that you will now be able to make sentences using this group of words.
