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What is one way that the body needs the soul?

a. The soul organizes and gives life to the basic materials provided by the body—no soul, no organization
b. The soul takes the information provided by the body's senses and is able to consider it in a way abstracted from particular matter—no soul, no conceptual knowledge
c. The soul is the only good part of human existence
d. A and B
e. none of the above

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The closest answer to how the body needs the soul, according to Aristotle's concept, is that the soul allows for abstract consideration of information from the senses, thus enabling conceptual knowledge.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding the role of the soul in the body according to Aristotle, we see that he identifies three types of souls: the vegetative soul found in plants, the animal soul found in lower-level animals, and the rational soul found in humans. The soul in humans enables not only survival and reproduction, like in plants and lower-level animals, but also the capacity for rational thought. Therefore, when considering the options provided, the closest answer would be option B, which states that the soul takes information provided by the body's senses and allows one to consider it abstractly. This abstract consideration of knowledge is essential for the formation of conceptual knowledge and is heavily tied to Aristotle's notion of the rational soul's ability to reason.

Aristotle's perspective is markedly different from that of Descartes, who held that the soul exists prior to and separately from the body and is immortal. While Descartes describes the soul as a non-physical 'thinking thing' that does not require a body, modern neuroscience has provided evidence that thought is intricately connected to the brain's physical structure and function.

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