Chapter 86 — That the human soul is not transmitted with the semen

It may be shown from the foregoing that the human soul is not transmitted with the semen, as though it were sown by coition.

For any principles whatsoever that cannot exercise their operations without the body cannot begin to exist apart from the body, because a thing’s being is proportionate to its operation (since everything operates according as it is a being). On the other hand, those principles which exercise their operations without the body are generated apart from the generation of the body. Now the operation of the nutritive and sensitive soul cannot be without the body, as is evident from what has been said, (Ch. 68.) whereas the operation of the intellective soul is not exercised through an organ of the body, as stated above. (Ch. 68.) Consequently, the nutritive and sensitive souls, but not the intellective soul, are generated through the generation of the body. Now the transmission of the semen is directed to the generation of the body. Therefore, the nutritive and sensitive souls, but not the intellective soul, begin to exist through the transmission of the semen.

Again. If the human soul began to exist by transmission with the semen, this could only be in two ways. In one way, so that we understand it to be in the semen actually, as though it were accidentally severed from the soul of the generator, just as the semen is severed from the body. This may be seen in annulose animals that live after being cut in two, and in which there is one soul actually and several in potency: for when the body of such an animal is divided, the soul begins to be actually in each living part. In another way, so that we understand the semen to possess a virtue productive of the intellective soul: and thus the intellective soul would be in the semen virtually, but not actually.

But the former of these is impossible for two reasons. First because, since the intellective soul is the most perfect of souls and endowed with the highest power, its proper matter is a body having a great variety of organs by which its manifold operations can be accomplished. Consequently, it cannot possibly be actually in the separated semen, since not even the souls of perfect irrational animals are multiplied by division, as happens in annulose animals. Second because, since the intellect (which is the proper and principal power of the intellective soul) is not the act of any part of the body, it cannot be accidentally divided through the body being divided: consequently, neither can the intellective soul.

The second is also impossible. For the active force in the semen promotes the generation of the animal by transmuting the body, for a material force cannot act otherwise. Now every form that begins to exist through the transmutation of matter has a being dependent on matter, because the transmutation of matter reduces it from potency to act, and thus terminates in the actual being of matter, which results from its union with a form. Hence if by this the being of the form also begins simply, the being of the form will consist merely in its being united to matter, and consequently the form will be dependent on matter for its being. Therefore, if the human soul is brought into being by an active force in the semen, it follows that its being is dependent on matter, like the being of other material forms. But the contrary of this has been proved above. (Cc. 68, 79.) Therefore, the intellective soul is in no way brought into being through the transmission of the semen.

Moreover. Every form that is brought into being through the transmutation of matter is brought forth from the potency of matter, since the transmutation of matter is its reduction from potency to act. Now the intellective soul cannot be brought forth from the potency of matter: for it has been shown above (Ch. 68.) that the intellective soul surpasses the whole potency of matter, since it has an operation apart from matter, as was proved above. (Ch. 68.) Therefore, the intellective soul is not brought forth into being through the transmutation of matter; and consequently neither by the action of a power residing in the semen.

Further. No active force acts beyond its genus. But the intellective soul surpasses the whole genus of bodies, since it has an operation that is raised above all bodies (namely, intelligence). Therefore, no bodily force can produce an intellective soul. Now whatever action proceeds from a force that is in the semen results from a bodily force, because the formative force acts through the medium of the threefold heat of fire, of heaven, and of the soul. Therefore, the intellective soul cannot be brought into being by a force residing in the semen.

Further. It is absurd to state that an intellective substance is either divided through a body being divided, or produced by a bodily power. Now the human soul is an intellective substance, as we proved above. (Ch. 68.) Therefore, it cannot be said that it is divided through the semen being divided, or that it is brought into being by an active power in the semen. Consequently, the human soul in no way begins to exist through the transmission of the semen.

Further. If the generation of a thing causes a certain thing to exist, the corruption of the former will cause the latter to cease to exist. Now the corruption of the body does not cause the soul to cease to exist, for the latter is immortal, as we have proved above. (Ch. 79.) Neither, therefore, is the generation of the body the cause of the soul beginning to exist. But the transmission of the semen is the proper cause of the generation of the body. Therefore, the transmission of the semen is not the cause of the soul being brought into existence.

By this is excluded the error of Apollinaris and his followers, who said that souls are generated by souls, as bodies by bodies. (Cf. Gregory of Nyssa, De anima, sermon 1 (PG 45:195); Nemesius, On the Nature of Man, ch. 2 (PG 40:553).)