Final answer:
The statement is false; Aristotle believed all living things have souls that actualize their potential. A living body always has its soul in Aristotle's theory of hylomorphism, and the potentiality relates to the development of its inherent capacities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that by "the body potentially having life" Aristotle is referring to a body that has either lost its soul or has not yet gotten it is false. Aristotle's conception of the soul is intricately linked to his theory of potentiality and actuality. For Aristotle, all living things, including plants, animals, and humans, possess a soul that enables them to fulfill their function and potential. The soul is the form of the body and is responsible for the life it leads. Specifically, in humans, the rational soul is present and contributes to their ability to reason, a capacity that distinguishes them from other living beings.
The theory of hylomorphism posited by Aristotle implies that a living body always has its soul, as the soul is what gives it life and enables it to actualize its potential. Aristotle did not describe a body as potentially having life due to the absence of a soul; rather, the potentiality he discusses pertains to the development and actualization of the capacities inherent in a living being with a soul.
Aristotle's views on the soul and life were further elaborated upon and influenced by later philosophers such as St. Thomas Aquinas, who integrated Aristotelian thought into a Christianized philosophical framework, highlighting the continued importance and transformation of Aristotle's theories throughout history.