What is the Soul via Thomas Aquinas

(Aquinas , 665 . Man 's experiences are then dependent on the body which is the only avenue in understanding the physical knowledge different from the understanding of the soul . Similar to the foremost arguments and objections , man 's soul is rational , and thus separates itself from that of animalistic reason . The body is necessary for the action of the intellect , not as its origin of action , but on the part of the object for the phantasm is to the intellect what color is for sight (Aquinas , 666 . Thus , these mental images are essential in

br acquiring knowledge as well as utilizing the use of sense experience in to abstract such forms for understanding

On the notion of the soul 's incorruptibility , Aquinas argues that the soul may be corrupted in two ways : per se and accidentally . He argues that any substance that can be corrupted accidentally is impossible since corruption is considered as a thing , along with existence Therefore , whatever has existence `per se ' cannot be generated or corrupted except `per se while things which do not subsist , such as accident and material forms , acquire existence or lost through the generation or corruption of composite things (Aquinas , 672 . Man 's soul is then dependent on the subjective sensual experience that the individual experiences everyday in attaining the ideal since man is created in the image and likeness of God . The passage also implies causal explanations towards the nature of man 's choice - that every actions constitutes a reaction that necessarily `corrupts ' the soul of man . This corruption comes from man itself and not from another generation or cause . The soul remains pure while the body experiences corruption because of misleading sensual experiences that does not act as universals . In addition , Aquinas adds that even though the soul may be composed by matter...