Single Idea 23306

[catalogued under 29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 2. Immortality / a. Immortality]

Full Idea

Aquinas infers from Aristotle that intellectual understanding is the only operation of the soul that is performed without a physical organ, so that only human souls, and not animal ones, can be immortal.

Gist of Idea

Humans have a non-physical faculty of reason, so they can be immortal

Source

report of Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologicae [1265], I, q75, a3, resp) by Richard Sorabji - Rationality 'Reason'

Book Reference

'Rationality in Greek Thought', ed/tr. Frede,M /Striker,G [OUP 1999], p.329


A Reaction

This shows why so many thinkers are desperate to hang on to dualism, of some sort. Interesting that he only claims partial dualism.