Pensar a substância em Francisco Suárez – a respeito da <i>Disputatio Metaphysica</i> XXXIII

Abstract

Francisco Suárez (1548-1617) published 1597 his metaphysical master-piece, the Disputationes metaphysicae. In the 33th Disputation – object of the article – Suárez is firstly defining the “substance” by three aspects: as “ens per se” (an independent entity), as perdurance in time, and as fundament supporting the accidents. Secondly he uses three distinctions in order to articulate the notion of the substance: complete and incomplete substances, perfect and imperfect substances, and the distinction between first and second substance. A drop of water is, for example, a complete, but relatively imperfect first substance, in comparison with it the human soul is an incomplete, more perfect first substance. The rule is: the more perfect, the more incomplete. Behind of these distinctions Suárez elaborates the dynamic aspect of substance. The approach is a very aristotelician one, without including aspects of social philosophy or existential philosophy.