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Full Idea
It is by having essence that things exist.
Gist of Idea
It is by having essence that things exist
Source
Thomas Aquinas (De Ente et Essentia (Being and Essence) [1267], p.94)
Book Ref
Aquinas,Thomas: 'Selected Philosophical Writings', ed/tr. McDermott,Timothy [OUP 1993], p.94
A Reaction
Compare Idea 11199, which gives a fuller picture. This idea seems to suggest essence as the cause of existence, which sounds wrong. Perhaps essence is a necessary condition of existence, but it is necessary that nothing indeterminate can exist?
Related Idea
Idea 11199 Aristotelian essence underlies behaviour, or underlies definition, or is the source of existence [Aristotle, by Aquinas]
| 13090 | The principle of diversity for corporeal substances is their matter [Aquinas, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne] |
| 13070 | If definitions must be general, and general terms can't individuate, then Socrates can't be defined [Aquinas, by Cover/O'Leary-Hawthorne] |
| 11205 | If the form of 'human' contains 'many', Socrates isn't human; if it contains 'one', Socrates is Plato [Aquinas] |
| 11206 | The mind constructs complete attributions, based on the unified elements of the real world [Aquinas] |
| 11207 | A cause can exist without its effect, but the effect cannot exist without its cause [Aquinas] |
| 11208 | A simple substance is its own essence [Aquinas] |
| 11198 | Definition of essence makes things understandable [Aquinas] |
| 11197 | The definitions expressing identity are used to sort things [Aquinas] |
| 11195 | If affirmative propositions express being, we affirm about what is absent [Aquinas] |
| 11196 | Essence is something in common between the natures which sort things into categories [Aquinas] |
| 11200 | The definition of a physical object must include the material as well as the form [Aquinas] |
| 11201 | Properties have an incomplete essence, with definitions referring to their subject [Aquinas] |
| 11202 | It is by having essence that things exist [Aquinas] |
| 11203 | Specific individual essence is defined by material, and generic essence is defined by form [Aquinas] |