#F446 Terapia das Doenças Espirituais.03- A antropologia de Santo Tomás de Aquino

Summary

This script delves into the Christian perspective on human anthropology, exploring the relationship between body and soul and its implications for sin and spiritual health. It contrasts the Christian view with Platonic thought, emphasizing that sin originates from the soul, not the body. The discussion covers internal senses like common sense, estimative sense, memory, and fantasy, highlighting how they relate to spiritual diseases like selective memory of negative events. The script also touches on higher knowledge, such as universal concepts and purpose, which are unique to humans and tied to the spiritual aspect of the soul, ultimately advocating for a balanced approach to managing desires and passions.

Takeaways

• 🙏 The script begins with a prayer invoking the Holy Spirit for guidance in actions and service to Christ.
• 🧐 The course discussed is about therapy for spiritual diseases, exploring the anthropological view of humans to understand the justification for this therapy.
• 🤔 It emphasizes that the tendency to sin is not due to the body but the soul, challenging the Platonic view that humans are souls trapped in bodies.
• 🔍 The script delves into the relationship between the body and the soul, identifying it as the seat of the original sin and our inclination towards sin.
• 🧠 It distinguishes between external senses, which are shared with animals, and internal senses, which are more closely related to human spiritual aspects and potential for sin.
• 🐕 The internal senses include the 'common sense,' 'estimative sense,' memory, and fantasy, which are linked to the physical body but also to the spiritual self.
• 🌑 The script mentions 'mnesia,' a spiritual disease related to memory, where individuals only remember negative aspects of their past, contributing to spiritual ailments.
• 🎨 It highlights the difference between human knowledge and that of animals, with humans capable of abstract thought, universal knowledge, and understanding purpose.
• 🍽️ The discussion of 'concupiscible faculty' and 'irascible faculty' illustrates the desires and challenges humans face, distinguishing between easy and difficult desires.
• 💪 The concept of 'rational appetite' or 'will' is introduced as a spiritual inclination that goes beyond physical desires, showing the human capacity for self-control and rational choice.
• 🧘‍♂️ The script concludes with the idea that the soul should guide the body, not in a tyrannical manner, but in a political or pedagogical way, suggesting a balanced approach to managing spiritual diseases.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the course on spiritual therapy discussed in the script?

The course focuses on understanding the anthropology of humans, particularly the relationship between the body and the soul, and how this relationship is affected by the original sin and our tendencies towards sin.

How does the script differentiate between the Christian view of humans and the Platonic view?

The script explains that Christians do not view humans as souls trapped in bodies, as Platonists do. Instead, Christians believe that the soul is capable of sinning, and it is the soul, not the body, that leads to sin.

What is the role of the body in the Christian understanding of sin according to the script?

The script clarifies that the body itself does not sin; it is the soul that has the capacity to sin. The body is seen as a companion to the soul, and the tendency towards sin arises from the relationship between the body and the soul.

What are the 'internal senses' mentioned in the script, and how do they relate to sin?

The internal senses include the common sense, the estimative sense, memory, and fantasy. They are more closely related to sin because they involve the brain and the physical body, and they are part of the knowledge and desires that can lead to sin.

How does the script describe the difference between the knowledge of humans and animals?

The script suggests that humans and animals share some types of knowledge, such as sensory knowledge from external senses. However, humans have additional knowledge types, such as universal knowledge and knowledge of finality, which are linked to the soul and not found in animals.

What is meant by 'universal knowledge' in the context of the script?

Universal knowledge refers to the ability to understand and explain concepts that apply broadly, such as the functioning of animal knowledge, which is a capability of the soul and goes beyond physical knowledge.

How does the script explain the concept of 'apetite' in relation to sin?

The script describes 'apetite' as a desire for something one knows. It differentiates between the concupiscible appetite, which is a desire for easily obtainable things, and the irascible appetite, which is the struggle for difficult-to-obtain desires, both of which can lead to sin if not properly managed.

What is the significance of the 'will' in the script's discussion on human spiritual therapy?

The will is described as a rational appetite, where one freely inclines towards something chosen, such as making a sacrifice or doing something out of love. It is a spiritual part of the soul that is capable of higher knowledge and desires, beyond the physical.

How does the script use the analogy of a knight and a horse to explain the relationship between the body and the soul?

The script likens the soul to a knight and the body to a horse that needs to be tamed. The knight (soul) should guide the horse (body) not tyrannically, but pedagogically, learning to control desires and passions in a balanced way.

What is the ultimate goal of the spiritual therapy course as presented in the script?

The ultimate goal of the course is to help individuals understand and manage the relationship between their body and soul, learning to control their passions and desires in a way that aligns with spiritual health and growth.