Final answer:
Aquinas's 'actus essendi' is the principle that differentiates potential beings from actual beings, connected to God and purpose.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aquinas's concept of 'actus essendi' or 'act of existence' is a key aspect of his metaphysics and has several important implications.
Firstly, Aquinas argues that 'actus essendi' is what differentiates potential beings from actual beings. A potential being has the capacity to exist, but it requires the actual act of existence to become a reality. This means that 'actus essendi' is the principle that brings beings from potentiality to actuality, giving them existence.
Secondly, Aquinas connects 'actus essendi' with God. He argues that since 'actus essendi' is necessary for beings to exist, there must be a necessary being, God, who is the source and origin of 'actus essendi'. God's essence is pure existence, and from Him, all contingent beings derive their existence.
Lastly, 'actus essendi' also relates to the purpose and teleology of beings. Aquinas believes that all beings have a purpose and strive towards their fulfillment. The 'actus essendi' of a being is intrinsically linked to its purpose, as it is through the actualization of its potentialities that a being fulfills its purpose.