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Thomas Aquinas. On Being and Essence. Translated by Armand Maurer. 2nd Edition. (Toronto:
The Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, 1968)
INTRODUCTION

The main topic in Thomas Aquinas' philosophy of being and essence is his exploration of the
nature of existence and what it means for something to be. In his introduction to this work, St.
Thomas does two things. In (1) he states the purpose for writing this treatise. Being and essence
are the starting points of knowledge by the intellect. Therefore, one must guard against making
errors about being and essence; for obviously a single and simple error at the beginning point
easily turns all that follows after into a multiple and complex one.

In (2) he highlights the three main roles of his treatise, each role an attempt to lay the
foundations for guarding against possible errors apropos being and essence. The first role is to
clarify the meaning of the terms “being” and “essence”. The second is to investigate the being
and essence of various types of real things. The third is to determine how the being and the
essence of real things are related to the logical intentions, difference, species and genus. The
third and second roles are treated in alternating order. Instead of completing the second role
before endeavoring on the third, St. Thomas does part of the second role, then part of the third,
then returns to do the other part of the second, etc.

Chapter two of this treatise highlights how essence is found in material things; chapter four how
the essences of material things are related to the logical intentions. Chapter five highlights how
essence is found in separated substances, that is, in the human soul, in the intelligence and the
First Cause. After a review of the way in which essence is found in diverse substances, in
chapter six, St. Thomas considers the relation of the separated substances to the logical
intentions. Chapter seven highlights how essence is found in accidents, and how accidents are
related to the logical intentions.

Therefore, in this work, I intend to highlight the outstanding arguments in St. Thomas Aquinas’
Being and Essence.