Soul as the Form of the Body - Thomas Aquinas

[AdriannaJean]

HELP!

Ok, so I’m a medieval philosophy student and I need to write a paper on Thomas Aquinas’ idea that the soul is both the form of the body and a substance in its own right. I agree with him, but I can’t seem to find any interesting angle on the topic. Any thoughts?

 

[GEddie]

HELP!

Ok, so I’m a medieval philosophy student and I need to write a paper on Thomas Aquinas’ idea that the soul is both the form of the body and a substance in its own right. I agree with him, but I can’t seem to find any interesting angle on the topic. Any thoughts?

Refer to the council of Vienne which if I recall aright, defined soul as form of the body. Expound on that. What does this mean for our understanding and experience of our human bodies?

Remember that most if not all human beings are far more interested in the body than the soul.

ICXC NIKA and God Bless.

 

[Magnanimity]

HELP!

Ok, so I’m a medieval philosophy student and I need to write a paper on Thomas Aquinas’ idea that the soul is both the form of the body and a substance in its own right. I agree with him, but I can’t seem to find any interesting angle on the topic. Any thoughts?

An angle, huh? I find it interesting that in the U.S. (which of course has been heavily influenced by Protestantism) so much of popular culture is Platonic or even Gnostic in its view of the body. How many times have we heard celebs say, “Oh, its just my body. It’s not the real me… Who I really am, is what’s inside…” etc.

Thomas Aquinas’ version of a hylomorphic unity is a nice contrast to this dominant view in American culture and could lead to some interesting alterations in popular culture, IMO.

 

[AdriannaJean]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! After reading both your replies I decided to write the paper on the ethical consequences of the soul being the form of the body. I’ve had massive writers block for weeks now and you helped so much.

THANK YOU!!!

 

[grannymh]

HELP!

Ok, so I’m a medieval philosophy student and I need to write a paper on Thomas Aquinas’ idea that the soul is both the form of the body and a substance in its own right. I agree with him, but I can’t seem to find any interesting angle on the topic. Any thoughts?

Try the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.

Use this handy link Be sure to scroll down to find the search box for the Catechism. Personally, I prefer the hard cover edition because I like to write notes in the book itself.

Blessings,
granny

These two websites contain TV ads about Catholicism. The first is from one of the Dioceses which is using them. The second is general information.

 

[stuart12]

From this teaching, it shows very clearly that the human person is a union of body and soul. Neither the soul alone, or the body alone is the person or an individual substance.

A human person is therefore not a soul imprisoned in a body (as Plato wrote, calling this an ‘evil state’). The true teaching emphasises the goodness of matter, it is not simply meaningless and is not unworthy of the spiritual man.

This also leads to the conclusion that it is impossible for a person to be trapped in a body of the ‘wrong’ gender.

 

[mary1173]

From this teaching, it shows very clearly that the human person is a union of body and soul. Neither the soul alone, or the body alone is the person or an individual substance.

A human person is therefore not a soul imprisoned in a body (as Plato wrote, calling this an ‘evil state’). The true teaching emphasises the goodness of matter, it is not simply meaningless and is not unworthy of the spiritual man.

This also leads to the conclusion that it is impossible for a person to be trapped in a body of the ‘wrong’ gender.

I agree.

 

[Magnanimity]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! After reading both your replies I decided to write the paper on the ethical consequences of the soul being the form of the body. I’ve had massive writers block for weeks now and you helped so much.

THANK YOU!!!

Adrianna,

I’m very glad to hear that we played some small role of inspiration for you here. Best wishes in your paper writing. Hope you’re satisfied with the final product! With any luck, your prof will find the topic of interest too.