Aristotle (c. 350 BCE) develops the Platonic concept of souls present in living beings, categorizing them based on distinct functions. The Soul, or Psyche, is the quintessence of all life, from the fundamental energy of plants to the complex psychic construct of humans.
As a natural philosopher he studies fundamental aspects of plant life, spending two years on Lesbos to document plants and animals. He notes plants exhibit essential functions such as nourishment and reproduction.
Aristotle ascribes certain qualities to the souls of plants, animals and humans. The vegetative soul of plants provides the basic needs of an organism. Animals have both a vegetative and sensitive soul, combining instinct with sensory perception.
Humans have a vegetative, sensitive and rational soul, making them capable of thought, contemplation and abstract reasoning. In his book On Souls, he expands on the concept.
According to Aristotle's philosophy, the soul or Greek psyche is the intrinsic form or essence of every living being. The soul is intricately intertwined with the body it inhabits, shaping the nature of the organism.
Aristotle distinguishes one organism from another by the attributed presence of a specific kind of soul. The idea of a body devoid of a soul, or a soul residing in an inappropriate body is not possible in his model.
Intellect and the Soul
The human intellect is part of the rational soul. According to Aristotle, the process of thinking ascribed to humans is a complex cognitive activity, neither sense-perception nor imagination, which relate to stimuli of the external world. Thinking is a deeper level of mental engagement.
Thinking, Aristotle points out, can sometimes lead to incorrect conclusions. He posits the mind's ability to engage in voluntary thinking indicates existence of distinct components within the intellect.
These components are the possible and agent intellect, play crucial roles in the process of thought formation. The possible intellect is likened to an "unscribed tablet" housing a variety of universal concepts such as "rectangle," "apple," "woman," "purple," and more.
A vast reservoir of ideas, it opens up when the mind initiates the process of thinking. Intellect acts as a driving force collecting these concepts from the possible intellect. The agent intellect combines the factors to generate coherent thoughts.
The agent intellect is immaterial, can exist without a body, and is immortal. It can abstract the essence or intelligibility of perceived objects and stores information in the possible intellect for future recollection.
Plants & Animals
By studying plants, Aristotle applies these principles to the intricate mechanisms through which they obtain nutrients and propagate, essential processes that sustain life. He emphasizes the crucial role of plants in the ecosystem. His work leads to the modern understanding of botany.
Moving up Aristotle's hierarchal classification, one finds a range of complexity and capabilities in living beings. Aristotle perceives animals at lower levels as showing essential functions for survival, and the sensory perception needed to interact with the environment.
Sensory perception enables animals to respond to external stimuli, navigate surroundings, and engage in behaviors essential for their survival. Aristotle notes lower animals possess ability for self-motion.
This capacity sets them apart from plants and other lower forms of life, as it allows them to actively move and navigate their environment. Self-motion grants animals to seek out resources, avoid threats, and engage in behaviors crucial to their well-being.
Aristotle characterizes animals, like the elements, with "hot" and "cold" natures. These roughly match warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals known today. His hierarchy of living beings progresses from basic functions of existence to sensory perception and self-motion.
In humans Aristotle identifies the culmination of these traits, as they possess not only the abilities found in plants and lower animals but also intellect. The human soul is multi-dimensional.
Aristotle acknowledges certain aspects of the soul, such as intellect, may exist independently of the body. He asserts most components of the soul are inseparable from the physical form they animate.
With the later spread of Christianity, Egyptians have trouble with the concept of a single soul. In Egypt the soul has nine parts. Finally they adopt the Greek view of the psyche.
In analytical psychology, the psyche is the personality, complex and dynamic. It's composed of ego, personal unconscious and collective unconscious.
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