Final answer:
In an abstract interpretation based on Aristotelian philosophy, the "soul" of the eye, if it were to be perceived as an animal, is its essential functional principle, which includes the cornea, lens, retina, and optical nerves involved in vision.
Step-by-step explanation:
If we conceptualize an eye as an "animal," following an abstract interpretation of Aristotelian philosophy, the "soul" of the eye could be considered akin to its fundamental functional principle —the part that gives it purpose and the ability to perform its essential task.
Aristotle's view on the soul implied that it is what provides the capacities for life's activities. In the context of the eye, the soul of the eye would then be the mechanism that permits vision, including the cornea, lens, and retina, which collectively focus light to form images, and the optical nerves, that transfer these images as impulses to the brain to be processed. Thus, in this philosophically abstract approach, the soul of the eye could be described as these interconnected structures and functions essential for the act of seeing.