The place of the soul: cardiocentrism and entelechism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53382/issn.0719-9902.88Keywords:
entelechism, cardiocentrism, body, soul, heartAbstract
There is a long-standing debate among Aristotelians regarding the location of the soul. The traditional interpretation is that in Motu An. and other biological treatises, the soul is said to reside in the heart, the hottest part of the body. This theory is known as cardiocentrism. Conversely, when the philosopher writes a treatise specifically addressing the topic of the soul, i.e., De An., he revises his view and argues for a soul that is the actuality of the entire body, with no specific location. This theory is known as entelechism. In this paper, we will assert that Aristotle maintained his cardiocentric approach in De An. and never abandoned the theory. Furthermore, we will attempt to demonstrate that cardiocentrism and entelechism are ultimately compatible and not mutually exclusive.
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