more from this thinker | more from this text
Full Idea
Aquinas subscribes to the unitarian doctrine that a single substance has just a single substantial form, but authors like Scotus subscribe to a plurality of substantial forms.
Gist of Idea
Aquinas says a substance has one form; Scotists say it has many forms
Source
Robert Pasnau (Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671 [2011], 24.1)
Book Ref
Pasnau,Robert: 'Metaphysical Themes 1274-1671' [OUP 2011], p.550
A Reaction
The Scotists seem to think that qualities themselve can have forms. I take it that Aristotle would have agreed with Aquinas.
16109 | Things are a unity because there is no clash between potential matter and actual shape/form [Aristotle] |
16088 | Aristotle's solution to the problem of unity is that form is an active cause or potentiality or nature [Aristotle, by Gill,ML] |
16104 | Unity of the form is just unity of the definition [Aristotle] |
13277 | The 'form' is the recipe for building wholes of a particular kind [Aristotle, by Koslicki] |
16766 | One thing needs a single thing to unite it; if there were two forms, something must unite them [Aquinas] |
16765 | Humans only have a single substantial form, which contains the others and acts for them [Aquinas] |
16614 | Matter and form give true unity; subject and accident is just unity 'per accidens' [Duns Scotus] |
16780 | Partial forms of leaf and fruit are united in the whole form of the tree [Suárez] |
16758 | The best support for substantial forms is the co-ordinated unity of a natural being [Suárez] |
12700 | Form or soul gives unity and duration; matter gives multiplicity and change [Leibniz] |
16748 | Aquinas says a substance has one form; Scotists say it has many forms [Pasnau] |