THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE OF NORTHERN NIGERIA (TCNN), BUKURU

(AN AFFLIATE OF UNIVERSITY OF JOS)

STUDENT NAME:

DAKWOUT, NELSON USMAN

UJ/2023/TC/0019

COURSE CODE:

CRS 105

COURSE TITLE

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHYOF SCIENCE

LECTURERS NAME:

REV. DR. OKECHUKWU PATRICK

QUESTION:

COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE FOLLOWING; ESSANCE AND EXISTANCE

MATTER AND FORM, POTENCY AND ACT, MIND AND BODY

DATE: 06/11/2023
INTRODUTION

In this course, we have discussed about the philosophical problems such as knowledge; which is

divided into sense and intellectual, Truth which is also divided into being and human and lastly

Belief which deals with the conviction respectively.

As one goes deeper into the study of the philosophical problems, there are many Christian

scholars who make researches and debates on the philosophical problems. In my answer, I will

be discussing about the forms of philosophy which include: Essence and Existence, Matter and

Form, Potency and Act, Mind and Body and how different scholars makes their views on the

similarities and differences between them all.

CLARIFICATION OF TERMS

According to Macmillan English Dictionary, “Compare means to say one thing or person is

similar to another”. (296)

Moreover, “Contrast means a noticeable difference between people or thing”. (321)

Furthermore, “Essence means the most important of something usually the part that gives its

general character”. (499)

In addition, “Existence means the state of being a real or living thing or of being present in a

particular place, time or situation”. (513)

Furthermore, “Matter means something that you are discussing, considering or dealing with”.

(918)
Moreover, “Form means to make something exist or develop”. (588)

In addition, “Potency means the power that has to affect your body or mind”. (1144)

Moreover, “Act means to do something for a particular reason or a particular way”. (13)

Furthermore, “Mind is the part of you that thinks, knows, remembers, and feels things”. (952)

Lastly, “Body means the whole physical structure of human and animal”. (152)

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ESSANCE AND EXISTANCE

Insofar as an essence in its act of existence, the essence limits that act existence to the nature of

the essence who act, it is the essence merely has existence, in which case its possession of

existence, which will be in accord with the nature of the essence.

DIFFENCESES BETWEEN ESSANCE AND EXISTENCE

According to Rand Ayn, Essence is what it is, not something inside it that makes it what it is and

the essence of something had to do with the most important thing about the item that identifies

what it is in a context and hierarchy of knowledge. While Existence also means everything that

actually exist but she refined that term by indicating that existence is axiomatic and is observed

to be what it is via. Perceptual observations-to exist is to be something and existence means

everything that is what it is.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MATTER AND FORM

According to Aristotle, the matter of a thing will consist of these elements which, when the thing

has come into being, maybe said to have become it, Form is the arrangement or organization of

those elements, as the results of which they have become the thing which they have.
DIFFENCES BETWEEN MATTER AND FORM

Matter is the stuff that makes up things in the physical universe like the bronze of a statue. While

Form is what gives matter its ‘shape’ and makes it a particular statue.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN POTENCY AND ACT

“Keeping in mind the basic “functions” of the act and potency in being, we should be aware that

potency and act are essentially ordered to each other in one being, and they are also found in the

same category of being, and therefore we know the nature of potency in being by the act that is

elicited from the potency”. (Aristotle 01)

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POTENCY AND ACT

Potency is that which not yet act, but which can alone determination and reality, whereas act is

already determination of a thing.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN MIND AND BODY

The mind and body connection is the communication between your thought and your feelings.

The mind body connection works by the feedback loop between your body and mind. The body

and mind are the important part of human structure used for movement and thought respectively.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BODY AND MIND

Your mind is your thinking mind (both conscious and unconscious) that is responsible for your

beliefs, thoughts, and actions. While Body, your body is the physical aspect of yourself that

carries you through life and allows you to experience the world through your five sense organs.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, believers should learn more about philosophy and everything that is involve in it.

There are many philosophical advantages, problems, and forms that we need to learn, study and

apply it to our daily Christian journey. I have discuss briefly the forms of knowledge but we

should remember that knowledge is wisdom, so we need to apply it to our life’s for a better

tomorrow.
WORK CITATION

Aristotle’s Metaphisics in a Hylomorphic Nutshell Published in philosopher’s stones.

Aquinas Metaphisics/internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Essence and Existence/ Encyclopedia. Com

Form/Definition, Nature and Examples Brintannica.

Gilbert, Ryle. Essence and Existence http://w.w.w. Encycloped.com

http://www.encylopedia.com

http://www Britannica.com

Macmillan English Dictionary.8th edition 2019.

Plato, Metaphysics. http:www.plato metaphysics.com

Rand, Ayn Philosophy on essence and existence. http://www. RandAyn.com.