Destiny of Body and Soul: Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas on Human Finitude

The Destiny of Body and Soul: St. Thomas Aquinas and Aristotle
On Human Finitude

A Term Paper
Presented to the
Faculty of Arts and Letters AB Philosophy
University of Santo Tomas

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In Partial Fulfillment of
The Requirements in the
History of Western Philosophy

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Submitted By:
Sem. Ariel Joseph A. Batondo [e-mail] March 2013

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter I

A. Introduction

B. Review of Related Literature Chapter II

A. Human Person: A Union of Material and Immaterial, His Nature and His Perfection

B. Death revealed in Science I. What is Death in Science? II. Fear of Death III. Death as Punishment IV. Life after Death

B. Annihilation: Possible or Impossible?

D. Death as Bridge for a Continued Existence

Chapter III

A. Summary and Conclusion

B. Ideogram

Bibliography

CHAPTER I

A. Introduction

Death brings man’s life to fulfillment.[1] -Romano Guardini

The most vital question in any study of the nature of death is this: in what sense can death be said to be the destiny of Man? This will help us to answer further questions about the natural character of death and help us to understand Christ’s death and our own. Another question is about death, whether expressed or not, is at the heart of human existence. It gives us questions such as, why do people die? Were we born to die? Is there something in us that persist after our life passes forth the portals of inexistence? These questions are manifestations of an instinctive preference to life. But an examination of death which this paper embarks would hopefully bring us to an alternative standpoint of

Bibliography: AQUINAS, Thomas. Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics trans. C.I. Litzinger, OP. Dumb Ox Books, 1993. ________________. Commentary on Aristotle’s Metaphysics, Trans. John P. Rowan. Notre Dame, Indiana: Dumb Ox Books, 1995. ________________. Commentary on Aristotle’s De Anima, trans. K. Foster O.P., and S Humphries, Dumb Ox Books, Indiana, USA, Yale University Press, 1951. SERTILLANGES, A.G. The Intellectual Life. Washington D.C. The Catholic University of America Press, 1987 Alfredo P Bobik, Joseph. Aquinas on Matter and Form and the Elements. Trans. and Interpretation of the De Principiis Naturae and the De Mixtione Elementorum of St. Thomas Aquinas. University of Notre Dame Press. 1998. EBERL, Jason. “A Thomistic Understanding of Human Death”, Bioethics, Vol. 22, No. 1, (2005), pp. 29-48. ABBAS Syed Qamar, and Sibtain Panjwani. “The Necessity of Spiritual Care Towards the End of Life”, International Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 24, Bioethics Press, 2008. pp. 113-118. ROUSSAEAU, Mary. Elements of a Thomistic Philosophy of Death. The Thomist, Vol. 43, 1979. pp. 581-602 Guardini, Romano [4] Thomas Aquinas. Commentary on Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. Trans. C.I. Litzinger. USA: Dumb Ox Books. (1993). I, XV, 180, 1100a11-14;180. [7]Jason T. Eberl, A Thomistic Understanding of Human Death. Bioethics Vol. Number 1. November 2005. ©Blackwell Publishing LtD. (2005). p. 31. [8]Romano Guardini, Eternal Life, (Sophia Institute Press © Matthias Grunewald, Mainz, 1989) p. 6. [9]EBERL, Jason. “A Thomistic Understanding of Human Death”, Bioethics, Vol. 22, No. 1. (2005). p. 29-48. [10] ROUSSAEAU, Mary. Elements of a Thomistic Philosophy of Death. The Thomist, Vol. 43 (1979). p. 581-602 [11] LUPER, Steven [12] ABBAS Syed Qamar, and Sibtain Panjwani. “The Necessity of Spiritual Care Towards the End of Life.” International Journal of Bioethics, Vol. 24, Bioethics Press. (2008). p. 113-118. [13] Abbas Syed Qamar and Sibtain Panjwani. “The Necessity of Spiritual Care Towards the End of Life.” International Journal of Bioethics Volume 24:2. (2008). p. 113-118. [14]Guardini, Romano. Eternal Life. Matthias-Grunewald, Mainz. (1989). p.5-9 [15] Guardini, Romano [19]Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Aristotle’s De Anima. Trans. by K. Foster O.P., and S. Humphries. Dumb Ox books, Indiana, USA, ©Yale University Press. (1951). 2, I, 412a-15-22. [20]Rousseau, Mary F. Elements of a Thomistic Philosophy of Death. The Thomist Volume 43. (1979). p. 581 [21] Thomas, Aquinas [25] Guardini, Romano. Eternal Life. Matthias-Grunewald, Mainz. (1989). p. 33-49 [26]Basic Ecclesial Community Bible [28] Steven Luper-Foy. Annihilation. The Philosophical Quarterly. Vol. 37, No. 148. (July 1987). p. 233 [29] Ibid. [32]Syed Qamar Abbas and Sibtain Panjwani. (2008). The Necessity of Spiritual Care Towards the End of Life. International Journal of Bioethics Vol. 24. Bioethic Press. p. 115 [33] Stepen Luper-Foy [35] ROUSSAEAU, Mary. Elements of a Thomistic Philosophy of Death. The Thomist, Vol. 43. (1979). p. 583 [36]Quoted by Arcelie P [37]A.G. Sertillanges. The Intellectual Life. Washington D.C.: The Catholic University of America Press. (1987). p. 6 [38]Bobik, Joseph