On Thomas Aquinas

This excerpt from The Summa Contra Gentiles by Thomas Aquinas, or Saint Thomas Aquinas, is good continuation of what we have been reading by Aristotle, Bacon, and good ole Descartes. Aquinas' argument seems to be that humans are  intellectual, free creatures with rationality and that all other things are "subject to slavery.". Why? Because humans are the only things capable of "knowing and loving Him" meaning God, who is "the last end of the universe." (Here, I'd like to remind you guys about Aristotle's fourth cause, that the end is the object for the sake of which a thing moves.) And that humans are the only "free" creatures that act on their own accord,  and are "incorruptible ...moreover, unchangeable, except in their choice." Therefore, humans are the closest beings to God and everything else is provided for human use by a Divine power for 1. Perfection of intellect 2. execution of its power and development of its knowledge and 3. Sustaining the body that is united to an intellectual soul.

Now, my favorite part if Aquinas is his statement that "divine providence makes provision for the intellectual creature for its own sake, but for other creatures for the sake of the intellectual creature." I feel like the implications to this could lead to human slavery or something ...oh wait. Also, Aquinas' theory that there is "no wrong" in killing or doing anything to "dumb animals" doesn't fit well with me. Though, I can understand the train of reason if one wants to say that yes, there is a divine God that has placed the world and its resources here for human use. However, if not, then what? Are we still intellectual, free creatures? Do we still have an intelligent soul that strives towards a telos? Because if there is no longer a God there is no longer an unchanging end?

I feel that if we want to say no, Aquinas was wrong, then we can say that animals are more than "for the sake of intelligent creatures" but then we must also say that we are not intellectual, free creatures. But there might be nothing wrong with saying that we are not if it brings about better treatment of animals (including other people) and the planet as a whole. I wonder if we just hate to admit that the best way to live with the surrounding nature is to "downgrade" to being just another higher primate.

Can't wait to hear from you guys!