On View Body Of Thomas Aquinas

Through literature,comparison and logic, I analyzed the body view of Thomas Aquinas who is important theologian in Middle Ages.<Summa Theologica> is the representative work of his life, and it written down in the last of years of his life. Aquinas frequently took advantage of the philosophical theory of Aristoteles to explain the Doctrine of Christianity. Especially, the Metaphysica, namely the First Philosophy called by Aristoteles. Therefore the goal of this paper aims at the body view of Aquinas Matephysica in the <Summa Theologica>.Results:A man is composed of body and soul, the composition is a substance. It can be showed by the four counter-conception followed, namely substance and accidents; form and matter; act and potentiality; existence and nature. Firstly, it showed through the form and matter, a man is composed matter and form, otherwise a man is composed soul and body, the body of a man is the special matter which individualized soul. On the other hand, soul led the body to be a living. Secondly, on the existence and nature, Aquinas made something new about the definition of nature, he broke through the conventional definition, put"to be"and"to be this"together,"suppositum"belongs to the species①, species not only showed by soul, but by soul and body②. Thirdly, on the act and potentiality, after the composition of body and soul their operation is one, Aquinas says that as the one striker one strike③. Fourthly, on the most important definition——substance and accidents. Substance is the subject of any definition, namely any of them belongs to substance. Aquinas says that a man is one substance. Consequently, Aquinas concluded that As God is perfect in His works,He bestowed perfection on all of them according to their capacity. Therefore, a man has a most suitable body.Conclusion:Body is the direct subject and object of sports activities. Everyone who talking about the sports history of the Middle Ages, has to concerning the body view of Christianity (or Catholic). Many sports scholar thinks Christianity is of abstinent and monkish, therefore Christian look down on their bodies, and ill-treat them. But as the body view has showed the <Summa Theologca> by Thomas Aquinas who is the important theologian in 13 century. Aquinas says that those refined in body are will endowed in mind①. The reason of this misunderstanding may explain in two respects, Firstly, on the respect of History. Sports historian ignored the fact of different stage in Middle Ages. Secondly, on the respect of Philosophy, Since the Age of Enlightenment, historian has been keen on philosophical judgment, through this way they got their historical view, while sports historian did not get into the studying of Christian doctrine, led to many misunderstanding about Christian doctrines. This paper concluded that body is important in Christian philosophical system, many doctrine required theologian attach important on the body of man, such as monotheism, incarnation, the resurrection of body, individual soul subsistent. Therefore, the body view can not be dualism.