On the Ability of Inanimate Objects to Fly when Sprinkled with Pixie Dust in Disney's Jake and the Neverland Pirates

Objection 1: It would seem that flora, fauna, and inanimate objects should not be able to fly when sprinkled with pixie dust, as the second component of the ability to fly is the requirement to "think happy thoughts". Since these things lack an intellect, they thus lack the ability to think of pleasurable things, and ergo cannot fly.

Objection 2: Moreover, the directionality and speed of inanimate objects, if they could fly, would be random and uncontrolled, since the flyer controls his path by thought. An un-thinking object would not fly in a directed or controlled manner, as portrayed in the children's tales.

Objection 3: Moreover, flying by means of pixie dust is akin to witchcraft and therefore not suitable for portrayal in children's tales.

To the contrary, surely it is written "For his own purposes he opens the storehouse and makes the rain clouds fly like vultures."

I answer that,
flora, fauna, and inanimate objects are capable of flight by means of pixie dust. Fauna are clearly already in possession of the motive power and thus can direct their flight, once granted the means. And while they are not capable of rational thought, they do possess the mental means to feel and recall pleasure, as evidenced by a dog that wags its tale upon being reminded of its master's scent, & c.

With regards to objects not in possession of the motive power, and without any intellect, even an animal intellect, these, too, are capable of flight by pixie dust, because thinking happy thoughts is not the efficient cause of flight. I submit that the efficient cause of flight is the manifestation by pixie dust of the perfection in its nature of the being that flies.

Since human beings are created to share happiness with the Lord, a human who is disordered by unhappiness is unable to fly by means of pixie dust, because he is disordered in nature. But, by becoming more perfect, as the heavenly Father is perfect, a human becomes more able to fly. To this ends, approaching the transcendental happiness of the beatific vision by means of becoming more joyous through happy thoughts brings a fallen human closer to perfection. For surely it is written:

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.

As this principle of flight is applied vis-à-vis inanimate objects and creatures not in possession of intellect, it is therefore the perfection of the thing in its nature, not its ability to think, that grants it flight. So inasmuch as a rock or tree or grain of wheat fulfills its nature, it shall take to flight when pixie dust is applied. Since all creation echoes God's glory in precisely the manner he ordained it to from the beginning of time, it is surely within the natural powers of all creation to fly, since it is written that "The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands."

Reply to Objection 1: The ability to think is not the efficient cause of flight, but rather the means by which a thinking creature obtains to its nature, in that its thoughts can bring it towards or against its nature.

Reply to Objection 2: The movement of an object without motive powers would be no more random or haphazard when flying via pixie dust than when moving for any other reason. Surely a stream does not flow uphill or a leaf blow high when their is no wind, for these things are not in the nature of these objects. The movement of a stream downhill, or a leaf as it falls to the ground is determined by the numerous efficient causes of nature, e.g., gravity, air pressure, & c, and is not random. So too, when pixie dust is applied, the object will move in a manner through the air consistent with its nature and the forces applied to it.

Reply to Objection 3: This is not an objection to the question as posed, but to its suitability as subject matter, and therefore a reply is not necessary. However, it can simply be pointed out that if objects fly only when they near the perfection of their God-given nature, it would seem contradictory that it could be the work of the devil. Also, pixie dust must not necessarily work via supernatural or unnatural power, but may merely be one more natural power or technology of creation, for instance nanobots, antigraviton particles, & c.