Different Views on the Soul - Essay Example

Summary/ Abstract

This paper provides a research proposal on the topic "The knowledge of the Separated Soul According to Thomas Aquinas." The article is separated into three major sections: the research proposal, the outline, and the bibliography. The project provides an overview of the topic and identifies the pertinent issue to be addressed by the dissertation. It puts the problem in its current perspective to demonstrate that there is a need for debate. The ongoing discussion on the topic of death has raised the curiosity of many researchers. Numerous people have offered different opinions an argument on the nature of the human soul, especially after death. Thomas Aquinas provides comprehensive accounts that help to understand the arguments of a different perspective. Therefore, the proposal demonstrates that the separated souls are unique and differ from the human being through his metaphysical framework. The proposal indicates that the topic requires further evaluation and assessments to understand the different views of the departed souls' nature and operation.

The second part of the proposal provides a comprehensive outline of the dissertation by describing each part's content. Five different chapters/sections are proposed for inclusion in the thesis. Each of those sections contributes to the development of the arguments and answering the questions raised in the introduction. However, each of those sections will include several subsections because the dissertation covers numerous aspects of the topic, and extensive illustrations should support the assertions. The conclusion section is also a long chapter dedicated to demonstrating that the research has addressed the question and issues raised. The final part of this paper is the bibliography part, which provides the list of references that will support significant arguments and assertions in the dissertation.

The knowledge of the Separated Soul According to Thomas Aquinas

Proposal

Recently, there has been extensive debate as to the nature of the separated soul. Thomas Aquinas provides a comprehensive account that examines the separated soul and whether it can be considered a person after death. This topic requires a depend on an understanding of the nature of humans and its composite structure, with the soul be an integral aspect of the body. According to the Thomanist perspective, humans have substance and enjoy some degree of dignity, capable of ruling themselves and independently under the influence of their inner nature. However, a separated soul lacks these qualities, making it difficult to relate to the essence of living persons to the separated souls' attributes. Thomas Aquinas highlight some aspects of the soul through his account of the metaphysical nature and its hylomorphic union with the body.

Aquinas held the view that the soul is the subsisting element that survives after death. It's union with the matter from the human body and enables people to form a unified substance. Thus, the concept of the soul's immortality demonstrates that the soul does not depend on the body for survival and form a complete substance of its own. The duality of Aquinas implies that the soul is joined with the body temporarily to constitute human beings. Therefore, this proposal aims at examining Aquinas's metaphysical framework to understand his human ontology, the concept of human nature, and the separated soul. The proposal forms the basis of the dissertation and would help demystify question 89 on the separated soul's knowledge.

Outline

Introduction

The introduction part of the dissertation will provide a comprehensive overview of Aquinas arguments about the different questions on the separated soul. It will help to explain his metaphysical framework to expound on details about the nature of the human substance. The discussion will revolve around the general arguments that Aquinas provides to explain his theory and understanding about humans and the relationship between the body and the soul. Numerous people have contributed to the topic of human immortality, which requires an understanding of Aquinas's account to help in the identification of the problem under consideration in the dissertation. The primary focus of the introduction is the composition and form contributing to the formation of human beings. Aquinas elaborates on the human substance by considering the corporeal and the incorporeal composites. He observes that these two entities are distinct and unique but related because they operate in a single existence. The explanation is relevant in the debate because it may help examine the soul to understand whether it should be considered similar to how the living operates. The introduction chapter of the dissertation will explain the methodologies, resources, and the approach that will be used to develop arguments and answer question on significant assertions.

Knowledge of the Separated Soul According to Thomas Aquinas

This section provides an overview of the topic raised in question 89 to understand Aquinas's position on various matters about the separated soul. There are eight points of inquiry that examine in detail the topic of the separated soul. The project will incorporate those arguments to explore the characteristics of the separated soul and its relationship to Aquinas metaphysical framework. Deliberating on those questions aims to explain the traits of the soul and how it differs or relates to the human being. Based on that illustration, the chapter will provide the basis of qualifying the different perspectives about the nature of the separated soul by highlighting elements of commonalities. The argument presented by Aquinas portrays the difference between souls and human beings. As such, the assertions help to show the differences between the two entities and why they should be considered as separate entities. However, the arguments also preset a contradicting account because the soul is thought to have a proper operation since it can be aerated from the body. This chapter will help answer pertinent questions such as whether the soul can acquire knowledge, understand natural things, and understand the things going on in the world of the living.

The nature of humans

The second chapter of the dissertation discusses humans' nature to help in understanding the accounts of different sides of the debate. Thus, this chapter demonstrates that the essence of Human pertains to both the form and matter. Then, the section will also illustrate that human beings and people exist as natural substances, with characteristics that make them unique from all other living creatures. Human beings have the ability to think and act rationally because they are influenced by reason and judgment. For that reason, the chapter will also indicate that people include both the form and matter, which form an inherent and definitive composition about their nature. However, this section of the dissertation shows that natural substance cannot survive without its essence. This argument point to the fact that human being cannot exist without their forms and matter. The assertion from one of the major trajectories of the research topic explains how the human body operates and the soul's concept. Then, the chapter will also demonstrate that human beings lose their matter upon death. Hence, humans ceasing to exist when they die. Understanding the nature of Human helps in the development of significant arguments because it helps examine and differentiate major proposals about the nature of the related soul.

Survivalist

The survivalist view proposes that a separated soul can operate in the same manner as human beings. This perspective implies that souls can experience feeling typical to natural humans. As such, it can communicate with other souls, Angels, and God. Besides, the argument indicates that a separated soul can appear to humans. This part explains different arguments presented by Aquinas that relate to the survivalist view of the separated soul.

Corruptionist

The corruptionist perspective presents an opposing argument about the nature of the separated soul. This section will examine why the soul cannot operate like Human. The view argues that a separated soul lacks the characteristics of human nature. The argument uses human nature to demonstrate that a soul lacks the essential things to function in the same manner as humans. The soul requires matter and cannot correctly constitute human beings with the ability to operate in the living world. However, it demonstrates that the souls may communicate with a higher person like God and angels.

Conclusion

The conclusion section provides a comprehensive discussion of significant findings and recommendations on various matters. It will help in providing a summary of conclusions and restatement of the research problem. This part will help to show that all the important questions have been answered and all assertions addressed in the paper.