Prime Matter

1
Substance (a matter/form unity)
Prime Matter
Substantial form
Quantity
Quality
Relation
Where
When
Activity
passivity
posture
Habit or state
2
The whole thing is in potentiality to
existence The whole thing must be rendered
actually Existent by the Act of Existing (Esse)
Quantity
Quality
Relation
Where
When
Activity
passivity
posture
Habit or state
3
The Act of Existing
The whole thing is in potentiality to
existence The whole thing must be rendered
actually Existent by the Act of Existing (Esse)
Substance Quantity Quality Relation When Where Pos
ture Action Passivity Habit/State
Quantity
Quality
Relation
Where
When
Activity
passivity
posture
Habit or state
4
A Being is a composite of Essence and Existence
Esse The act of existing
Act of Existing
Quod Est What is Or Essence
5
Nothing moves itself from potentiality to
actuality except by something already in actuality
Nothing brings itself into existence
For a thing to bring itself into existence, it
would have to exist before it exists, which is
absurd.
6
So, how does a being receive existence, or the
act of existing?
Esse
Essence
Perhaps an already existing being, whose essence
is distinct from its existence?
Impossible
7
Why?????????
8
A thing acts according to the powers of its
nature or essence
Nature or Essence
Plants cannot do more than they are able
according to the powers of their nature.
i.e., plants cannot sense, or think, or run.
They can grow, reproduce, and nourish themselves.
9
Can you and I create anything?
Absolutely NOT
Why Not?
Because to create is to bring something into
existence from nothing.
We can only produce, not create. To produce is
to bring something into existence from already
existing material. I.e., a desk from already
existing wood.
10
Any being whose essence is distinct from its
existence cannot create, in the sense of bringing
something into being from nothing. They can only
produce.
Esse
Essence or nature
So how can we account for the existence of beings?
11
Like produces like. Like begets like.
Oak Tree
Snake
Elephant
s n a k e
Elephant
oak tree
12
Who creates? Who or what imparts the Act of
Existing? What is the Agent Cause of the Act of
Existing? Esse?
We know that like begets like, that is, a thing
begets what is of the same nature.
We also know that existence is outside of our
nature or essence.
That is why imparting existence (esse) is outside
of our power, or not within our power. We cannot
bring something into being from nothing.
13
Hence, there must be a being whose essence is
identical to its existence.
There must be a being whose essence is to exist.
This beings essence is to exist. And so, since
like begets like, this being begets beings. This
being alone creates.
Essence Existence Cannot not exist/necessarily
exists/always existed Does not have a received
existence Is His own Existence Ipsum Esse
Subsistens God
14
IPSUM ESSE SUBSISTENS
esse
15
IPSUM ESSE SUBSISTENS
Beings