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Anima forma corporis: The Nature of the Human Soul and Its Relation to the Body in the Works of Thomas Aquinas
Oliva, Anna ; Tropia, Anna (advisor) ; Němec, Václav (referee)
Anima forma corporis: This motto, which was formulated in the 14th century in the Council of Vienne, resumes the doctrine of the soul as the form of the human body. One of the most important proponents of this belief was Thomas Aquinas, who reformulated the question of the soul and the body in a revolutionary way. Along with Aquinas, our work will present the nature of the human soul and its paradoxical relationship to the human body: on the one hand, Aquinas speaks of the soul as an immortal substance that has an existence independent of the body, but on the other hand, in the wake of Aristotelian hylomorphism, he presents the human soul as the form of the human body that forms a natural unity with the corruptible body. How are we to relate to this dualism of perspectives that Aquinas introduces into medieval thought? The aim of our paper will be to discuss how Aquinas addresses the soul, which is considered to be the defining part of the human being, while also drawing attention to the tension that undoubtedly arises within the relationship between soul and body - how can the necessary unity of soul and body be valid if the soul is imperishable? Is this an aporia and a mere inconsistency on the part of the author, or can the soul really form the body and yet retain the status of substance...
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Thomas Aquinas on Hope
Bezoušková, Alena ; Tropia, Anna (advisor) ; Němec, Václav (referee)
(in English) This thesis examines hope and its relation to action in Thomas Aquinas' Summa theologica. In the human soul, there are two types of hope, according to Aquinas. First, there is hope, which belongs to a sensitive soul, and by means of which we aim at sensory objects (hope-passion). Second, there is hope, which belongs to an intellective soul, enabling us to aim at objects grasped with abstract concepts (Aquinas writes specifically about hope-virtue aiming at beatitude). Having hope-passion means setting realistic goals and figuring out how to reach them. On that account, Aquinas says that hope facilitates action. Those who have hope-virtue are oriented towards salvation and rely on God to help them achieve it. Hope-virtue may seem passive. But in fact, it leads a Christian to attach to God and work on his relationship with Him. Hope-virtue, therefore, manifests as an internal spiritual activity, which leads to developing charity. In the text, Aquinas' understanding of hope is occasionally compared with the concepts of hope of Aristotle and Paul of Tarsus. Aquinas was inspired by these thinkers. Also, comparing enables us to see specifics of Aquinas' account.
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