"The Medieval View of Human Beings"

Sr. Marian Ling-Hsia Kuo 高凌霞教授 (輔仁大學)


   Up to the recent age, the 500 years between Boethius and Descartes has been looked upon as the “middle ages,” the dark age between Greek Antiquity and the Renaissance. Recent studies have proved, however, the contrary to be true. Mediaeval Philosophy is in reality a "second beginning" of Metaphysics, it studies the ultimate cause of reality. The concept of a science of the first cause has come to a full realization in Aristotle.  In a sense, Aristotle’s first science is more or less connected with material cosmos, After his thought being knows in to the Christian Europe, the first task of the thinkers is to reconcile the truth contained in a philosophy with the revealed truth accept through faith.
  In Metaphysics, the emphasis shifts from what things are to how things come to be, Metaphysics is the science of the first cause, the first Being who is not only the source of change, but at so the cause of being. From the encounter of faith and reason, there emerges a certain way of thinking. Based upon this position, Mediaeval thinkers reflect on the relation of God and man. 
    For Mediaeval Philosophers, the two most important questions concerning human beings are the question of the unity of body and soul, and the concept of the human person. The soul is the spiritual part, it is so intimately connected with the body, that the Mediaeval name it the substantial form of the body. The individuality of the human soul persists even after death, and at the end time, the body will rise together with the soul. As for the concept of the human person, it is developed within the context of the inner life of God. A person is a free and knowing subject, on process to a destination chosen by himself. The human person, rooted in the past history but looks to the future where the fullness of being is achieved. Human beings possess the perfection that comes from God, and that is the dignity of the human person. For this reason each human being possesses inalienable rights and the conception of human rights is still very active today.

Outline

I. Introductory Remarks

II. General Background
    1. Medieval Philosophy: the second beginning of metaphysics
    2. Facing the Challenge of Theology: faith and reason
    3. Christian Philosophy

III. The Medieval View of Human Beings: Christian Anthropology
    1. Human Beings: Unity of Body and Soul 
    2. Concept of the Human Person: an Individual Substance
              A Free and Knowing Subject
                               Dignity of the Human Person
    3. Human Destiny: Beatific Vision

IV.  Challenge of the Contemporary World
  1. The Ground for an Existential Point of View
    2. Natural Law and Human Rights

Conclusion