Philosophy Shows You Have an Immortal Soul (Aquinas 101)

The Thomistic Institute
29 Jan 202010:07
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis script explores the concept of the soul from philosophical and theological perspectives, particularly those of Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas. It explains how the soul was historically seen as the source of life in all living things, with different grades of perfection for plants, animals, and humans. The human soul, or rational soul, is unique as it is the form of the body, animating and organizing it, and also possesses spiritual powers of knowing and loving. The discussion delves into the potential of the soul to exist beyond death, emphasizing the soul's unity with the body and the significance of the Catholic belief in the resurrection of the body.

Takeaways
  • 🌟 The concept of 'soul' was once commonly associated with the essence of life and immortality, but this connection has been lost over time.
  • 🌿 In ancient understanding, the soul was the principle of life in all living things, not just humans, and was linked to the life breath.
  • 🌳 The term 'soul' was applied broadly to trees, grass, and animals, all of which were considered to have life due to their souls.
  • 📜 Thomas Aquinas used the term 'soul' to describe the source of life, following the ancient usage.
  • 📈 Souls were分级 according to Aristotle and Aquinas, with different levels of perfection for plants, animals, and humans.
  • 🌱 Plant souls were associated with basic functions like nutrition and growth, without sensory or rational capacities.
  • 🐾 Animal souls included sensory functions but lacked intelligence or reason, distinguishing animals from plants.
  • 🧠 The human soul, or rational soul, was unique because of its capacity for intelligence and reason, setting humans apart from other living things.
  • 💡 The human soul (rational soul) is the form of the human body, organizing and animating its functions and development.
  • 🔄 The soul is not static; it activates bodily functions and drives growth and development, from infancy to adulthood.
  • 💔 Death is described as the separation of the soul from the body, rendering a body without a soul lifeless.
  • 🌪️ Aquinas argued that while the soul is the form of the body, it also has a spiritual life beyond physical functions, particularly through knowing and loving.
Q & A

  • What was the ancient understanding of the term 'soul'?

    -In the ancient world, the term 'soul' was used to signify the principle or source of life in a living thing, associated with the life breath and not primarily with thinking or consciousness.

  • How did the concept of soul relate to different living things according to the script?

    -The concept of soul was broad, extending to trees, grass, and animals, all of which were considered to have a soul and live because of it. Different grades of perfection were attributed to souls, with plants having plant souls and animals having animal souls, while humans possess a rational soul due to their intelligence and reason.

  • What distinguishes the human soul from other living things' souls?

    -The human soul is distinguished by its rationality and capacity for intelligence and reason, which are absent in other living things. This is referred to as the rational soul or spirit.

  • How does the human soul relate to the body?

    -The human soul, or rational soul, is the form of the human body. It organizes and animates the body, functioning as the inner organizational plan that gives structure and life to the body's organs and operations.

  • What is the role of the soul in the development of a living being?

    -The soul drives the development of a living being through various stages such as infancy, childhood, and adulthood. It is responsible for the increasing levels of complexity and unity at each developmental stage.

  • What happens when the soul ceases to form and animate the body?

    -When the soul ceases to form and animate the body, the person is considered dead. Death is the separation of the soul from the body, and a body without a soul is a corpse.

  • How does Thomas Aquinas reconcile the concept of the soul with the idea of life beyond death?

    -Thomas Aquinas argues that while the human soul is the form of the body, it also lives beyond the body through higher operations of knowing and loving. These spiritual powers suggest that the soul has a life of its own, enabling it to potentially survive death.

  • What are the two activities that Aquinas believes are not the work of organs but of the intellect and will?

    -According to Aquinas, knowing and loving are not the work of organs but are the workings of the intellect and will, which are spiritual powers that go beyond the physical limitations of organs.

  • Why does Aquinas consider the act of knowing to be a spiritual activity?

    -Aquinas considers knowing to be a spiritual activity because it involves the conception of universals, which extends beyond individual experiences to all instances of a concept. This abstract knowledge cannot be the work of a physical organ limited to particular experiences.

  • What does Aquinas suggest about the condition of the soul after death?

    -Aquinas suggests that the soul's condition after death is akin to a total body amputation, as it exists in a state without the body it once animated. However, he also emphasizes that it is unfitting for the soul to live without a body, aligning with the Catholic belief in the resurrection of the body.

  • What is the significance of the resurrection of the body in the context of the human soul?

    -The resurrection of the body is significant because it offers a resolution to the 'weird condition' of the soul after death, as described by Aquinas. It provides a theological framework for the reunification of the soul with a body, which is seen as fitting for the human soul.

Outlines
00:00
🌿 The Concept of Soul in Ancient Understanding

This paragraph delves into the ancient conception of the soul as the principle or source of life in living things, emphasizing its association with life breath rather than merely with thinking or consciousness. It explains that the term 'soul' was broadly applied to all living entities, including plants and animals, each possessing a soul that animates them. The discussion highlights the分级 of souls according to Aristotle and Aquinas, where different life forms possess souls with varying degrees of perfection. The human soul, termed 'rational soul' or 'spirit', is distinguished by its capacity for intelligence and reason, setting humans apart from other living beings. The human soul is described as the form of the human body, organizing and animating its functions, and driving its development. The concept of death is introduced as the separation of the soul from the body, with the soul being essential for life and vitality.

05:06
💭 The Survival of the Human Soul After Death

This paragraph explores the question of whether the human soul survives death, considering the soul's integral role as the form of the body. Thomas Aquinas addresses this question by positing that while the soul is the form of the body, it also engages in higher operations of knowing and loving that transcend the physical body. These spiritual powers of intellect and will suggest that the soul has a life beyond the body's physical functions. Aquinas argues that all vital activities, except for knowing and loving, are the works of organs. The paragraph emphasizes that the knowing of universals is a spiritual activity, not limited by physical organs, and thus the soul itself is spiritual. Despite the soul's ability to exist beyond the body, Aquinas asserts that it is unfitting for the soul to live without a body, and the concept of bodily resurrection is presented as a comforting belief in the context of the human soul's journey after death.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Soul
In the context of the video, 'soul' is defined as the principle or source of life in a living thing, transcending mere physical existence to encompass a broader, spiritual essence. The ancient and philosophical understanding sees the soul as what animates living beings, from plants and animals to humans, giving life and function to the body. For humans, the soul is described as having a rational aspect, distinguishing it with capacities for intelligence and reason. The concept is crucial to the video's exploration of the value and immortality of the soul, illustrating its role in animating life and its continuation beyond physical death.
💡Rational Soul
The 'rational soul' refers to the unique type of soul attributed to humans, characterized by the capacities for intelligence and reasoning. This concept sets humans apart from other forms of life, which may possess souls but lack the capacity for rational thought. In the script, the rational soul is synonymous with human spirit, highlighting its importance in philosophical and theological discussions about what it means to be human, the nature of human consciousness, and how it differs from the non-rational souls of plants and animals.
💡Spirit
In the video, 'spirit' is discussed in relation to the human soul, indicating a level of existence or function that goes beyond the physical form. While sometimes used interchangeably with 'soul,' the term 'spirit' particularly refers to the aspect of humans that is capable of intellectual and volitional activities, such as knowing and loving. The distinction between human spirits and pure spirits, like angels, is made to underscore the embodied nature of human souls in contrast to the disembodied existence of angels.
💡Form of the Body
This concept is drawn from Aristotelian philosophy, where the 'form' of something is what gives it its essential characteristics. In the context of the video, the soul is described as the 'form of the body,' meaning it is what gives life to the physical matter of the body, making a living human being. This emphasizes the integral relationship between body and soul in humans, where the soul is not just an inhabitant of the body but is fundamentally what makes a body 'human' by organizing and animating it.
💡Angels
Mentioned in the video as pure spirits, angels represent beings that are entirely spiritual, without physical bodies. This contrasts with the human soul, which is spiritual but also the form of a physical body. The distinction underscores different kinds of spiritual existence and highlights the unique nature of human beings, who are both physical and spiritual.
💡Intellect and Will
These are identified as the two spiritual powers of the human soul, responsible for the higher operations of knowing and loving. Unlike other activities that can be attributed to physical organs, intellect (the ability to understand universals) and will (the capacity to choose) are seen as purely spiritual activities. This distinction is crucial for arguing the soul's immortality, as these activities suggest a component of the human soul that transcends physical existence.
💡Universal
In the discussion of intellect, 'universal' refers to the concept of understanding general or abstract qualities that apply to all instances of a category, rather than just individual, concrete examples. The ability to conceive of universals is presented as evidence of the spiritual nature of the human intellect, differentiating human knowing from the sensory perception of animals and the operational functions of physical organs.
💡Death
Defined in the video as the separation of the soul from the body, death marks the end of the soul's animating function in the physical form. This concept is central to the discussion on the nature of the soul and its capacities beyond physical life, leading into the exploration of the soul's immortality and how it can exist independently of the body.
💡Resurrection of the Body
This Christian doctrine is highlighted in the context of the human soul's unnatural separation from the body at death. The resurrection of the body is presented as the reunification of the soul with a glorified body, underscoring the belief in a future state where the integral unity of body and soul is restored, aligning with the video's theme of the soul's importance and its eternal destiny.
💡Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas is referenced throughout the video as a key figure whose thoughts on the soul, its functions, and its relationship to the body significantly influence the discussion. Aquinas's integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology provides a framework for understanding the soul's nature, its capacities for intellect and will, and its distinction from other forms of life. His views are critical for exploring the concept of the soul's immortality and its implications for human identity and destiny.
Highlights

The ancient understanding of the soul as the principle or source of life in a living thing.

The soul's association with the life breath, not just with thinking or consciousness.

The broad usage of soul to include all living things, such as trees and animals.

Thomas Aquinas' usage of the term soul to refer to the principle of life.

The concept of souls coming in grades of perfection according to Aristotle and Aquinas.

The distinction between plant souls and animal souls.

Human beings' unique possession of a rational soul or spirit.

The human soul as the form of a human body, differentiating it from pure spirits like angels.

The soul as the inner organizational plan of the human body, informing its matter.

The soul's role in animating and energizing the body's functions and operations.

The soul's influence on the developmental stages of a living human being.

Death as the separation of the soul from the body, resulting in a corpse.

Thomas Aquinas' view that human beings are animals organized and energized by a rational soul.

The human soul's ability to survive death through its spiritual activities of knowing and loving.

The intellectual and spiritual nature of knowing and loving as operations of the soul.

The inappropriateness of the soul living without a body, according to Aquinas.

The significance of the Catholic faith and the resurrection of the body in relation to the human soul.

Transcripts

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SoulPhilosophyAristotleAquinasLifePrincipleIntellectLoveHumanSoulRationalSoulSpiritualLifeResurrectionBelief