Knowing an Attribute Vs. Knowing the Essence

According to the Doctrine of Absolute Divine Simplicity, the divine attributes of perfection are identical to the Essence, and every attribute is identical to all the other attributes with respect to reality. That is to say, that the attribute of life is the same as the Essence, and is also identical to the attributes of knowledge, potency and will, and so on, and so forth.

But if the divine attributes of perfection are identical to the Essence, and every attribute is the same as the other attributes, then, the conceptual apprehension of the attribute of life, is the same as the conceptual apprehension of the Essence. And since the Essence is identical to the attributes of knowledge, potency and will, therefore, knowing the Essence entails knowing the attributes of knowledge, potency and will, as well. But we know this to be clearly false, because the concept or meaning of the attribute of life, is distinct from the concept or meaning of the attribute of potency, and the concept or meaning of the attribute of potency is other than the concept or meaning of the attribute of knowledge, and so on, and so forth. Hence, the conceptual apprehension of the attribute of life is not the same as the conceptual apprehension of the attributes of knowledge, potency and will. Thus, knowledge or the conceptual apprehension, of an attribute, does not entail knowing the Essence.