Final answer:
The body as a potential bearer of life is different from prime matter; life is attributed to the soul, which is not corporeal but rather an act that animates the body. Moreover, while all organisms consist of cells made of matter, it is the specific organization of matter and the presence of life principles that characterize life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that a body possessing the potential for life is the same as prime matter is false. In philosophical terms, life is not merely the state or quality of matter; rather, it is attributed to a distinct principle known as the soul. As stated by classical thinkers, the soul is regarded as the first principle of life, which is fundamentally distinct from the matter. such that the soul is the act that animates the body and is not corporeal itself, comparable to how heat is the principle of calefaction yet is not a body.
Life manifests through properties such as knowledge and movement, which cannot solely be explained by bodily functions. Indeed, all living organisms are composed of cells, the fundamental units of life, which themselves are made of matter, possess mass, and occupy space. Nevertheless, matter does not equate to life; it is the specific organization of matter, governed by life principles such as the soul or DNA within cells, that characterizes living entities. Therefore, while bodies may be associated with life, they are not intrinsically principles of life.