86. Wholes and Parts: The Soul's Presence in the Body
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Lecture Notes
Main Topics #
- The Problem of the Whole Soul: How can the whole soul be in the whole body and simultaneously in each part of the body?
- Types of Wholes and Parts: Understanding different senses in which something can be a whole composed of parts
- The Soul as a Potential Whole: Why the soul is distinct from quantitative wholes and resembles instead the universal whole in certain respects
- Powers and Their Location: The relationship between the soul’s essence, its powers, and their bodily seats in specific organs
- The Principle of Order: How the soul informs parts of the body according to their order to the whole
Key Arguments #
Aristotle’s Four Senses of Whole and Part #
Quantitative Whole: Divisible into spatial parts (e.g., a line into segments, a circle into semicircles). The whole is not present in each part; the parts do not possess the whole quality.
Essential Parts: Matter and form compose a substance. These are not spatially divisible but are distinguished by reason. Form and matter are not themselves the whole.
Parts of the Definition: Genus and difference compose the definition. Neither the genus alone nor the difference alone constitutes the definition.
Universal Whole: The universal is said of each of its parts (e.g., “animal” is said of each individual animal). The universal is present in each according to its whole essence and power.
Mind versus Thing #
Two of these divisions (universal and definitional) exist only in the mind. The universal and definition are found nowhere in external reality—only singular things exist. Two divisions (quantitative and essential parts) exist in things themselves.
The Soul as Potential Whole #
Thomas introduces a fifth kind not explicitly distinguished by Aristotle: the potential whole, which is divided into parts of power (partes potentiae). The soul is this kind of whole:
- Present to the whole body first and as such (according to its whole nature/essence)
- Present to each part according to the part’s order to the whole
- Not present according to all its powers in each part
Why the Soul Cannot Be a Quantitative Whole #
Forms (like the soul) do not have quantitative wholeness either essentially or accidentally. A form that requires diversity in parts (as the soul does in perfect animals) does not exist as a whole distributed across parts like whiteness on a wall. The soul’s presence is not divisible by spatial division.
The Three Classes of Powers #
- Powers exceeding bodily capacity: Understanding and will are not in the body at all; they belong to the soul alone
- Powers common to soul and body: Vision, hearing, digestion—present only in the appropriate bodily organ suitable for their operation
- Consequence: The soul is in the whole body through itself, but in parts of the body according to the order those parts bear to the whole
Principal and Subordinate Parts #
One part is more principal than another based on the principal power whose organ it is. The head is principal because it contains the inward senses (memory, imagination) that direct the whole body. The heart is principal as the source of life-giving blood. Powers in principal parts serve to direct the whole organism.
Important Definitions #
Totality of Essence (Totalitas Essentiae): The whole nature of a thing considered in its definition and perfection. The soul possesses this according to its whole nature in each part of the body.
Totality of Power (Totalitas Potentiae): The whole range of operational capacity. The soul does not possess this in each part; powers are distributed according to bodily fitness.
Potential Whole (Totum Potentiale): A whole present to its parts according to its nature but not according to all its powers; distinguished from quantitative wholes and universal wholes.
Parts of Power (Partes Potentiae): The distinct powers or capacities of the soul, which are ordered to specific bodily organs suited for their exercise.
Examples & Illustrations #
Whiteness on a Wall #
Whiteness spread over a large wall surface versus a small surface. According to quantitative wholeness, the entire quality of whiteness is not in each part—the large surface has more “total” whiteness and moves the eye more powerfully. However, according to the essence of whiteness (what it is to be white), each part is completely white. A small white surface is as white as a large one.
The Chair and the Book #
A chair divided into legs and seat, or a book divided into chapters and pages, exemplify quantitative division. These parts can be separated spatially, and the whole is not present in each.
The Word “Cat” #
The letters C-A-T are quantitative parts (divisible and separable). The order of letters is an essential part (not spatially divisible but essential to meaning). These represent different senses of part.
The Rubber Ball #
Composed of rubber (matter) and spherical shape (form). The spherical form is not more present in the whole ball than in any part, yet cutting the ball divides it.
The Living Eye versus the Dead Eye #
Aristotle’s example: the eye of a living man can see; the eye of a dead man cannot. The dead eye is called an eye only equivocally (like the eye of a statue). This shows the soul’s presence determines whether an organ truly functions.
The Holy Spirit as Soul of the Church #
The Holy Spirit perfects the church first and as such (the whole church is proportioned to Him). But He also perfects individual Christians insofar as they are ordered to the whole. If one is cut off from the church through sin or excommunication, one loses that perfection. Understanding the soul’s relation to body clarifies how to understand the Holy Spirit’s relation to the church and individual members.
Breastplate and Helmet #
Faith and charity (protecting the heart/life of the soul, which is Christ) are the breastplate. Hope (directing toward the ultimate end) is the helmet. This metaphor reflects the ordering of powers: hope directs the whole pursuit toward the final end, while faith and charity are the life-giving virtues at the soul’s center.
The Anchor of Hope #
Unlike the helmet’s directional role, the anchor keeps one from drifting. If one keeps the final end as the goal, whatever external shocks occur, one is moored to what matters.
Notable Quotes #
“A whole is something that has parts, right? It can be divided into parts in some way.” — Berquist, summarizing Thomas
“The whole soul is in each part of the body by the totality of its perfection in nature. Not, however, according to the wholeness of its power.” — Thomas Aquinas (cited by Berquist)
“The soul is in the whole body first and as such. It is in the parts because they are ordered to the whole.” — Berquist’s exposition of Aquinas
“If the Holy Spirit is in me, that doesn’t make me the church. I am a church, a part, but not by myself.” — Berquist’s theological application
Questions Addressed #
Q1: How can the whole soul be present in each part of the body without being divided? #
A: The soul is not a quantitative whole distributed across space. As a form requiring diverse parts (not a universal), it is present according to the totality of its essence and perfection to the whole body first, and to each part according to that part’s order to the whole. It is a potential whole.
Q2: Is whiteness in the wall divided when you divide the wall? #
A: According to quantitative wholeness, yes—more whiteness is spread over a larger surface. But according to the essence of whiteness itself (what it is to be white), no—the whole definition of whiteness is equally present in a small part and in the whole surface.
Q3: Why isn’t each part of an animal also an animal if the whole soul is in each part? #
A: Because the animal is what is composed of the whole soul and the whole body as its first perfection. The soul is in parts only as ordered to the whole. A separated part (like a severed hand) no longer has that order to the whole and thus is no longer an animal but a homonymous remains.
Q4: Are all powers of the soul present in all parts of the body? #
A: No. Some powers (understanding, will) exceed the body’s capacity and are in the soul alone. Other powers (sensation, digestion) are present only in the bodily part suited to their operation. The soul is whole in essence everywhere, but not whole in operative capacity everywhere.
Q5: What makes one part of the body more principal than another? #
A: The presence of more principal powers. The head is principal because it houses the inward senses directing the whole body. The heart is principal as the source of vital movement. Theological application: the church’s union with the Holy Spirit is more complete than any individual member’s, as the whole is more proportioned to its form than a part is.