THE HUMAN PERSON FOR ARISTOTLE

HUMAN BEINGS
- a single substance composed of ​body ​and ​soul

BODY AND SOUL - ​not separate entities, rather they are correlative constituents of one being

ENTELECHY - ​soul forms the ​entelechy, ​which is the definite form of the body

HUMAN MIND - ​Aristotle believed that the human mind is a ​tabula rasa ​or blank slate

BODY - ​part that is subordinate

SOUL - ​part of the composite that animates and commands

Two parts of the soul:

● Irrational - ​closely united within the body
➔ vegetative - ​activities of nutrition, growth and reproduction
➔ desiring ​- which is divided into t​ hree progressive levels​ namely
epithumia ​(unruly and irrational sense and covetousness); ​thumos
(spontaneous impulses); ​boulesis ​(wishes and desires)

● Rational - ​completely independent of the body; subdivided into:

➔ practical intellect - ​a.k.a fronesic ​(phronesis ​or ​to praktikon dianoetikon)
- ordained towards action and determines the appropriate means in
order to attain the end
- control the desiring part of the irrational soul

➔ speculative intellect - ​a.k.a ​theoretike dianoia

- pure thought or intellection
- closely connected with ​reason

REASON - ​elevates man above any other creatures

- rules and guides the destinies of individuals
- leads all things to their proper ends

TELEOLOGICAL - ​“end” or “purpose”

- man will be able to realize that all things lead to their proper ends

TWO TYPES OF ENDS

1. Instrumental - ​done as means for other ends
2. Intrinsic - ​done for its own sake

(TIANO PALAGAY NA LANG ‘TO SA IISANG SLIDE HEHE THANK YOU)

● GOOD ​according to Aristotle is related to the special function of a thing. A thing/person
can only be considered good if ​he serves his purpose.
● The end of a human person is not merely to exist but rather, to do something that is
based on the rational principle soul. This is called the ​VIRTUOUS ACT.