On The Concept Of Specific Matter In Aquinas's Theolog

"Material" as an important concept in ancient Greek philosophy has long been vague in its connotation.From a modern perspective,Thomas Aquinas innovatively classified the concept of material in a typological way,proposing "materia signata" as a "specific matter that is considered to have limited dimensions," which answers the philosophical problem of how universal things individualize.This study first presents the specific classification and basis of this typological approach,and discusses in detail the meanings of "individual" and "principle" in Aquinas’ s view that "materia signata serves as the principle of individualization" emphasizing that "individual" is limited to tangible entities,and "principle" denotes a condition,thereby clarifying the content of the research object.Secondly,in the order of writing of the "Summa Theologiae," this study examines the mission of "materia signata" as a special concept in it.It involves discussions on two types of issues: "the essence of God" and "the operation of God."Regarding issues related to "the essence of God",materia signata plays a role in negating and promoting people’s knowledge of what God’s nature and attributes are not.It also indicates Aquinas’ s unique view of including perishable tangible individuals in God’s operations and considering them as an extension of God’s operation,stating that "God can concretely know individuals and drive their activities."Regarding issues related to "the operation of God",materia signata serves more as a reference standard for the hierarchical order of creatures,i.e.,"the farther away from the material and the less dependent on it,the more noble the rank." At the same time,Aquinas discusses this standard with a relatively neutral scientific attitude,demonstrating a unique synthesis of reason and faith.Finally,Aquinas’ s ideas interacted with other philosophers within a broader philosophical context.Bonaventure supplemented Aquinas’ s thoughts on matter,emphasizing the role of matter in cosmology and the relationship between matter and the soul.Locke criticized the notion of designated matter as a principle of individuation,presenting different conceptions of identity in different contexts.These interactions fostered the development of the theory of designated matter and advanced medieval philosophy.