Phil of Human Person Final

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What does Plato’s Socrates think about the soul? How would he define it?

• The soul is the true self (who you really are)

• It is immortal and rational

• It is the source of life, thinking, and moral choice

• Definition: the soul is the principle of life and reason

What would Plato’s Socrates say about the body?

• The body is separate from the soul

• It is temporary, changing, and often a distraction

• It can hinder the soul’s pursuit of truth

• Often described as a kind of “prison” of the soul

What does Aristotle think about the soul?

• The soul is the form of the body (what makes a body alive)

• It is the actuality of a living being

👉 Actuality = the soul is what makes a living thing actually alive, not just potentially alive

Aristotle Powers of the Soul

• Vegetative (nutrition, growth)

• Sensitive (perception, desire)

• Rational (thinking, reasoning)

What does Aristotle think about the body?

• The body is matter (what something is made of)

• It is potentiality

👉 Potentiality = the body has the capacity to be alive, but needs the soul

What does Descartes’ first certain truth reveal about himself and his own nature?

• “I think, therefore I am” (cogito)

• Reveals: he is a thinking thing (mind)

• His essence = thinking, not physical existence

What does Descartes conclude about the body?

• The body is separate from the mind

• It is extended (takes up space), mechanical

• Therefore: mind ≠ body (dualism)

How does Aristotle oppose art to nature’s intrinsic features of necessity and spontaneity?

• Nature: acts by necessity and internal principle

• Art: comes from external human intention

• Art is deliberate, not spontaneous

What is the artist “bringing into being” for Aristotle?

• The artist brings form into matter

• Makes something that did not exist before

Example:
marble becomes a statue

What is already present before the artist acts (Aristotle)?

• The matter already exists

• The form exists in the mind of the artist

Types of Aristotelian friendship

• Utility – based on usefulness

• Pleasure – based on enjoyment

• Virtue (true friendship) – based on mutual goodness and virtue (highest form)

What greatest evil does government try to avoid?

• civil war

What is the referee between the two major factions in the city, bringing common ground?

• The law (guided by reason)

• Brings groups to common good and justice

What primary activity does Aristotle give to God?

• Pure contemplation (thinking)

• God is thought thinking itself

👉 Derived from humans:

• Our highest activity = thinking

• Therefore, God’s perfect activity = eternal thinking

What is the relationship between divine insight and philosophy for Bonaventure, and how does that relationship differ from the pagan philosophers?

• True wisdom requires both philosophy AND divine illumination (grace)

• Pagan philosophers used reason alone, so they were incomplete

(Bonaventure) What are the two major life habits that one must have in place before developing the contemplative perfections of holiness? 

• Prayer

• moral virtue

Six stages of contemplation (Bonaventure)

1. contemplative method

2. natural, material world

3. the soul’s intellectual powers

4. the graced self

5. God as being

6. God as good

Bonaventure’s fav number

• three

• because creation reflects the Trinity:
  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

What is the basic orientation of the entire material world towards God for Bonaventure?

• All creation points toward God

What do the three modes of sensation pay attention to in creation?

• number

• proportion

• equality

Why is the final mathematical concept that we observe in creation so important for understanding God as Trinitarian? 

equality

What are the three powers of the soul? And how is each power divided into three activities proper to its nature?

Memory

• remembering

• retaining

• recalling

Intellect

• understanding

• judging

• knowing truth

Will

• choosing

• loving

• desiring

What do the powers of the soul show us about God as Trinity?

• These three powers are one soul but three distinct powers (One God 3 persons)

• memory - Father

• Intellect - Son

• will - Spirit

(Bonaventure) What new achievement of understanding is open to the soul in stage 4 that was not noticed before? What changes in the soul makes this possible?

• 1. New achievement

  • The soul sees God within itself more clearly

  2. Change in soul

  • Purification from sin

  • Growth in virtue and discipline

What is a primary Scriptural source for Bonaventure’s argument about the nature of God as pure actuality in chapter 5?

“I AM WHO AM” (Exodus 3:14)

What is the first attribute we can affirm about God after exploring God’s nature as pure actuality?

• God is pure actuality and perfect being

Argument

• God cannot lack anything

• What lacks something has potentiality

• God has no potentiality, only fullness of being

• Therefore God is perfect and unchanging

Bonaventure ch 6: How does the gift of the Incarnation flow from the self-diffusive nature of God?

• God is perfect goodness

• goodness is self-diffusive

• God gave himself fully in the incarnation

Bonaventure ch 7: What characterizes the “rest” enjoyed by the soul after the contemplative ascent has been completed? 

• peace

• union with God

• perfect love + contemplation

What are some of Descartes’ rules for life during his search for intellectual certainty in math and science?

• obey laws and religion

• be firm in decisions

• master himself rather than fortune

• seek truth through reason and method

What does Descartes’ goal for the common good and general happiness become after he perfects the scientific method?

• Use science to improve human life

• reduce suffering

• improve health

• increase happiness and human flourishing

  What are the two dimensions of the person, for Kant, and why are they in tension with each other?

• natural/sensative (desires)

• Rational (moral law)
  → In tension: desire vs duty

  What is the categorical imperative for Kant, and how does it help us discern rules for conduct? What’s the scope of these rules?

• Act only according to rules you could want everyone to follow

It tests rules:
Could this be a universal law?

Scope

• It applies to everyone always

What is the nature of the most free will that Kant thinks should be every person’s goal? What’s possible for the common good of all after we convince even the worst “scoundrels” to live by the categorical imperative?

• freedom = obeying reason and moral law

• Not doing whatever you want

What becomes possible?

• A just society where even selfish people follow moral law

• peace and the common good for all

What characterizes the three ages of the history of morality for Nietzsche?

Master morality

• strong create values

• pride and strength are good

Slave morality

• weak reverse values

• humility and weakness become “good”

Modern morality

• herd morality

• people follow comfort and conformity

 What is the “unintentional,” for Nietzsche? 

• human action is driven by hidden instincts and forces

• People do not fully know why they act

 What does Nietzsche think the ultimate goal should be for human beings  

• become the (overman)

• Create your own values

• Go beyond traditional morality