On the Soul

What It's About

On the Soul (De Anima) is Aristotle's systematic investigation into the nature of the soul and its relationship to the body. Rather than treating the soul as a separate, ghostly substance, Aristotle argues it is the form of a living body — the organising principle that makes a body alive and capable of its characteristic activities. He examines the different kinds of soul possessed by plants, animals, and humans, and explores how living things nourish themselves, perceive the world, and think.

Key Concepts

Central to the work is hylomorphism — the idea that the soul is the "form" of the body, not a separate substance inhabiting it. Aristotle sets out a hierarchy of soul-functions: the nutritive soul (growth and reproduction, shared by all living things), the sensitive soul (perception and movement, shared by animals), and the rational soul (thought, unique to humans). He also gives an influential account of the five senses, imagination, and the distinction between an active and passive intellect.

About the Author

Aristotle (384–322 BC) was an Ancient Greek philosopher born in Stagira. He studied under Plato at the Academy in Athens, later tutored Alexander the Great, and went on to found his own school, the Lyceum. He is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers in the history of Western philosophy.

About This Edition

This is a 1931 translation by John Alexander Smith.