The Principle of Individuation in the Constitution of the Human Person

• Authors: Borislav Dadić
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

PL

It is generally considered that the principle of individuation is matter and that this doctrine comes from Aristotle. This paper will examine how medieval philosophers approached this problem and we will show that they offered various theories by which the principle of individuation could be matter, form, combination of matter and form, accidents or some special principle such as haecceitas, which we find in the school of J. Duns Scotus. We will assess how all these theories resolve the problem only partially, and thus indicate the need of a single principle of individuation. This becomes particularly relevant in the context of the metaphysical study of a human person. Our research will show that it is actus essendi, which is not only the act of all acts, but also the principle of all principles.

Keywords

EN

principle of individuation; Thomas Aquinas; John Duns Scotus; haecceitas; actus essendi; human person

PL

principle of individuation; Thomas Aquinas; John Duns Scotus; haecceitas; actus essendi; human person

• Publisher: Uniwersytet Papieski Jana Pawła II w Krakowie
• Journal: The Person and the Challenges. The Journal of Theology, Education, Canon Law and Social Studies Inspired by Pope John Paul II
• Year: 2017
• Volume: 7
• Issue: 1

Dates

published

2017

online

2017-05-01

Contributors

author

Borislav Dadić

Identifiers

DOI

10.15633/pch.1978