试析阿奎那的本质学说

On Aquinas’ Theory of Essence

以柏拉图与亚里士多德为代表的本质主义哲学路径深刻地影响了西方形而上学历史。本质主义哲学强调“本质”概念的普遍性及其相对于“存在”的优先地位。与之相对,阿奎那建立了一种本质特殊学说,转而强调“本质”的层次性以及个体化原则,进而从根本上颠转了本质主义哲学,并且对后世的存在主义哲学研究与人学研究产生了一定的影响。

The path of essentialism philosophy represented by Plato and Aristotle has deeply influenced the history of Western metaphysics.Essentialist philosophy emphasizes the universality of the concept of “essence” and its priority over “being”.On the other hand,Aquinas established a special theory of essence,which emphasized the hierarchy of “essence” and the principle of individuation,and then fundamentally reversed the essentialism philosophy,and had a certain impact on the existentialism philosophy and human studies in later generations.