What is a power of the soul? : Aquinas' answer

Abstract

Resumen: Does the soul have powers? If so, what general account can philosophy give of powers of the soul? One can broach some of Thomas's more obscure teachings concerning the soul and its powers, such as that the soul alone is the subject of some powers and that powers flow from the soul, by asking these broad questions. Many commentators have preferred, however, to focus on specific powers of the soul, which has resulted in detailed studies of, for example, the intellect and the will. Here, however, I want to take up powers of the soul in general and, through a causal analysis of their being, articulate what they are.' I intend, then, to present Thomas's answers to the two questions at the beginning of this article. In order to determine whether the soul has powers, I examine two arguments Thomas gives for their existence.