In Saint Thomas Aquinas' On Being and Essence, he devotes an entire chapter of his book to how essence is found in composite substances. “Form and matter are found in composite substances, as for example the soul and the body in man. But we cannot say that one or the other of these elements alone is called essence. Aquinas argues that in a compound substance, not only form but also matter is the essence of a thing. However, in the Metaphysics, Aristotle says that the essence is in the form which acts on matter. He writes: “It must be said that form or the thing having form is a thing, but matter in itself must never be said to be such. » However, Aristotle's thesis poses a philosophical problem. If we assume that Aristotle is right, then how can we think of something without requiring its physical existence? This essay will first be an exposition of the passage found in Aquinas' On Being and Essence. The second part of this essay will be an analysis of Aquinas' thesis in relation to that of Aristotle. It will also discuss Aquinas' solution to the necessity of existence. In Aristotle's Metaphysics, he says that form is in essence, which then "informs" matter. However, Aquinas argues that form and matter are found in essence. Neither matter alone nor form alone can be called essence, according to Aquinas. Since essence is indicated by the definition of a thing, Aquinas asserts that the definition of “natural substances includes not only form but also matter.” Using a syllogism can correctly articulate Aquinas' argument:Major premise: essence is signified by the definition of a thingMinor premise: definitions of natural substances include form and matter.Conclusion: Therefore , form and matter are in essence.He we...... middle of article......ves/sum2012/entries/aristotle-metaphysics/.Cohen, S. Marc, lecture notes on “Aristotle on Substance, Matter, and Form,” University of Washington, Philosophy. December 4, 2004 http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/zeta17.htmHaring, Ellen Stone. “Substantial form in Aristotle Z’s “Metaphysics”; II." The Revue de Métaphysique, vol. 10, No. 3 (March 1957). http://www.jstor.org/stable/20123591 Date accessed: November 19, 2013. Kirby, Jeremy. Aristotle's metaphysics: form, matter and identity. (New York: Continuum Publishing Group, 2008.) Print. Wippel, John. The metaphysical thought of Thomas Aquinas. (Washington, District of Columbia: The Catholic University of America Press, 2000). Print.Yu, Juyuan. “The Identification of Form and Essence in Aristotle,” The Southern Journal of Philosophy vol.XXXIX, (State University of New York at Buffalo, 2001).

Essay / In Saint Thomas Aquinas' On Being and Essence, he devotes an entire chapter of his book to how essence is found in composite substances. “Form and matter are found in composite substances, as for example the soul and the body in man. But we cannot say that one or the other of these elements alone is called essence. Aquinas argues that in a compound substance, not only form but also matter is the essence of a thing. However, in the Metaphysics, Aristotle says that the essence is in the form which acts on matter. He writes: “It must be said that form or the thing having form is a thing, but matter in itself must never be said to be such. » However, Aristotle's thesis poses a philosophical problem. If we assume that Aristotle is right, then how can we think of something without requiring its physical existence? This essay will first be an exposition of the passage found in Aquinas' On Being and Essence. The second part of this essay will be an analysis of Aquinas' thesis in relation to that of Aristotle. It will also discuss Aquinas' solution to the necessity of existence. In Aristotle's Metaphysics, he says that form is in essence, which then "informs" matter. However, Aquinas argues that form and matter are found in essence. Neither matter alone nor form alone can be called essence, according to Aquinas. Since essence is indicated by the definition of a thing, Aquinas asserts that the definition of “natural substances includes not only form but also matter.” Using a syllogism can correctly articulate Aquinas' argument:Major premise: essence is signified by the definition of a thingMinor premise: definitions of natural substances include form and matter.Conclusion: Therefore , form and matter are in essence.He we...... middle of article......ves/sum2012/entries/aristotle-metaphysics/.Cohen, S. Marc, lecture notes on “Aristotle on Substance, Matter, and Form,” University of Washington, Philosophy. December 4, 2004 http://faculty.washington.edu/smcohen/320/zeta17.htmHaring, Ellen Stone. “Substantial form in Aristotle Z’s “Metaphysics”; II." The Revue de Métaphysique, vol. 10, No. 3 (March 1957). http://www.jstor.org/stable/20123591 Date accessed: November 19, 2013. Kirby, Jeremy. Aristotle's metaphysics: form, matter and identity. (New York: Continuum Publishing Group, 2008.) Print. Wippel, John. The metaphysical thought of Thomas Aquinas. (Washington, District of Columbia: The Catholic University of America Press, 2000). Print.Yu, Juyuan. “The Identification of Form and Essence in Aristotle,” The Southern Journal of Philosophy vol.XXXIX, (State University of New York at Buffalo, 2001).

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