Aquinas' species cannot fulfill the role they are supposed to play in a theory of cognition or a theory of vision

Olivi’s objection mentioned above does not apply to Aquinas’ theory since species are not real representations on that view. Olivi himself seems aware of this, however, and says that if the species has spiritual being, then they cannot: “truly and naturally flow from a natural, corporeal form, [and] not really and truly inform a natural body, e.g. the air or the eye.” (Sententiarum II, q. 73, 87.) On Aquinas’ theory the species cannot affect the sense organ and cause a cognition, he seems to thi