Act and Potency (Aquinas 101)

How can the water in a river always be flowing by and yet it remains the same river?
By wrestling with this and various puzzles regarding change, Aristotle discovered the distinction between act and potency or actuality and potentiality. Aristotle realized that all the things in nature are a blend of act and potency, like the water. For example, an acorn is potentially a fully-grown oak tree; a child is potentially a grown man; and, the water in the ocean is potentially a rain cloud over land. Aristotle realized that change consists of the actualization of the potentiality latent within the things of nature.

Act and Potency (Aquinas 101) - Fr. James Brent, O.P.

❓ Questions you want answered? Make sure to put #AskAFriar in your comment!

— WHAT'S NEW —

— WHAT'S NEXT —

— SOCIAL MEDIA —

— SUPPORT —

— THE THOMISTIC INSTITUTE —

— AQUINAS 101 —

#ThomisticInstitute #ThomasAquinas #Catholic #Thomism

[Edu]

when I said to my friends that the church needed a method to reach more young people, it was something like this channel, great work and great videos, God bless you

[lmratnapalan]

For those who want longer videos I thoroughly recommend their podcasts, which are longer and more detailed. Click on the link to the class they have provided and sign up for their free classes if you would like to listen to them.

[JCATG]

When I was studying the Aquinasʼ “Five Ways” years ago, this was actually one of the most confusing concepts that I had to try understanding.

But all the more I read, especially with the helpful of your ministry here, I am able to grasp it clearly.

Thank you so much for all of your videos! God bless.

[mariao]

I'm with the ones who want longer videos. Your teaching is so clear and helpful.

[charlesmalaniak]

The Aquinas 101 podcasts are amazing! They take complicated concepts from the great Thomas Aquinas and through visual pictures enable any person to understand. The fact they are free is even better. True evangelism for those of us who view things from a more theological and philosophical standpoint. Thank you to the Thomistic Institute for bringing this to the masses.

[MariEllaOficial]

Explicação muito didática! Gostei e me inscrevi no canal. Vim pela Academia Atlântico, do Brasil. Mais alguém?

[Guest-Plato]

This was very helpful in understanding act and potency, thank you and keep up with the good work, God bless you

[convulsingbaldman]

Who presented this video? He does an awesome job, and so do the rest of the presenters. Thank you for making such an engaging and informative series which is accessible in not only a financial sense, but also an intellectual sense for those who are novices to theology. I think many beginners will be extraordinarily grateful for the effort you have all put in! God Bless

[Enigmatic_philosopher]

Here is a philosophical critique of some of the key points made in the video "Act and Potency (Aquinas 101)" from an analytic metaphysics perspective:

This video provides a helpful explanation of Thomas Aquinas' metaphysical concept of act and potency, which it rightly notes is central to his philosophical framework. However, some metaphysicians may argue the metaphysical claim that pure act could exist conflates ontology with theology, assuming God's actuality rather than arguing for it.

Additionally, the principle that everything moving must be moved by another entity in act may posit an excessive dependence between beings. This principle faces difficulties accounting for phenomena like self-motion, emergence and contingency. Some metaphysical systems posit a more fundamental interdependence between entities.

There is also ongoing philosophical debate around whether the actual/potential distinction maps onto mind-independent categories of reality. Some process philosophies understand being as an open-ended dynamism that cannot be fully captured by statically defined essences rooted in act.

The video could have acknowledged criticisms that Aquinas' metaphysics insufficiently incorporates temporality or change. It also does not address how actuality/potentiality interrelate with causation, an issue with no philosophical consensus.

Finally, while helpfully outlining Aquinas' view, the video presents his perspective definitively without sufficient acknowledgement of alternative metaphysical frameworks or philosophical problems still being debated around these core concepts. A more balanced critique would have situated Aquinas' thought within ongoing metaphysical disputes.

In summary, the video provides a clear overview but could have better situated Aquinas' metaphysics within contemporary philosophical discussion to avoid suggesting a definitively resolved interpretation of these contentious and enduring issues.

[HumanbeingonfloatingEarth]

Thank you Father. Great subject matter to consider.

[Rome_]

The clips here are beautiful and helpful but way too short. The perfect length I find is anywhere between 6 to 12 minutes. For example the videos from the YouTube channel Kurzgesagt.

[CureInsomnia]

Good stuff. Is Aquinas still taught in seminary? Not asking about Dominican formation but diocesan formation.

[eliassousa]

Amazing... but I also think the videos should be a little longer.

[rev.fr.spyridonchiones]

Excellent, as all videos. What book is best introduction to Thomas Aquinas' s work ?

[davidrasch]

The examples go a long way to helping me understand the teaching, a teaching which requires precision of thought and language.

[putinstea]

Why must there be one unmoved mover? Why only one?

[iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:

00:00 🌟 Understanding the distinction between potentiality and actuality is crucial to grasp Thomas Aquinas's arguments for the existence of God.
00:57 💧 All things in nature have both actuality (what they currently are) and potentiality (what they can become).
01:55 🌱 Change occurs when potentialities within things are actualized.
02:23 🔄 The ultimate source of change, according to Aristotle, is the unmoved mover or God, which is completely actual and responsible for realizing potentiality in everything else.

Made with HARPA AI

[kristindreko]

Thank you, may our Lord Jesus Christ bless you!

[chloemines]

Act and potential
Change is actualization of potentiality.
How potentiality becomes actual? Potential does not become actualized without the cause.
Therefore there must be ultimate actuality without potentiality.

[lordanselglennn.bongcassmm]

can you at some point discuss question 16 Truth, articles 5 and 7 of the Summa Theologica? Thanks in advance