About the soul ( Greek Περὶ Ψυχῆς ; lat. De anima ) - Aristotle's work on the theme of the soul . Unlike his teacher Plato , Aristotle insists that many states of the soul depend on the state of the body. In the broadest sense, the soul is the principle of life for all creatures, both for plants and animals.
Contents
In the 1st book, as usual, Aristotle considers the opinions about the soul collected by his predecessors ( Anaxagoras , Democritus , Pythagoreans , Plato , Thales and Empedocles ). Recognizing the soul as the principle of movement, Aristotle considers the movement itself, which is of four types: movement, transformation, decrease, increase.
In the 2nd book, considering the nature of the soul, Aristotle addresses metaphysical issues. So he speaks the definitions of essence, matter, form and entelechy. So the essence ( Greek οὐσία ) is thought of by the kind of being that can be identified with matter ( Greek ὕλη ), form ( Greek μορφρ ) or their unity. From here he gives a definition of the soul as the form and entelechy of the body ( Greek σώματος ἐντελέχεια ). The soul has three abilities: to growth, to feeling and to thinking. Based on the presence of these abilities, the souls of plants, animals or people are distinguished.
In the 3rd book, Aristotle states the presence of five senses ( Greek: αἴσθησις ): touch, smell, hearing, taste and vision. He then contrasts sensation with thinking, which consists of imagination (phantasia) and judgment.
Quotes
- The essence of a thing, expressed in a definition, is its form (Book 1)
- Animate more than anything differs from inanimate, apparently, two [signs]: movement and sensation (Book 1)
Literature
- Aristotle. Works in four volumes. T.1. Ed. V.F. Asmus. M., "Thought", 1976.