Joanne R.

Ala
PH 132
To Be is to Be Substance-In-Relation
Three Phases of Distortion
Being, in the classical sense, is substance-in-relation. Substance is something that
possesses the power to exist in itself as an ultimate subject of action and attribution and not as
a part of any other being. Wherever there is real being, there is substance and this substance is
that which makes a being a unity and a whole. Substance is supposed to be both dynamic in
itself and at the same time has an intrinsic nature of being relational. However through the
evolution of metaphysics the understanding of substance has been distorted and is reflected
through three phases.
Cartesian Self-enclosed Substance
Descartes introduced a new definition of substance, for him it is that which exists by
itself, that which needs nothing else but itself to exist, however to include the God, he modified
it to that which needs nothing else save God to exist. By using the term by itself instead of in
itself Descartes was able to deny the notion that being has any relatedness at all. It is self-
sufficiency and self-enclosure.
Lockean Inert Substance
Locke identifies substance as the inert, unknowable substratum of accidents which are
alone known to us. However these accidental properties are inert and static and are non-self-
communicative to the outside world. Because of his growing interest in the field of science,
Locke seemed to assimilate scientific notion of underlying substratum to the philosophical
notion. This notion implied that substance was essentially inert, passive substratum and
unchanging in its being.
Humean Separable Substance
Perhaps the most destructive distortion, Hume suggests that the real is nothing more
than a succession of discrete sense impressions, bound together in bundles. This means to say
that substance exists separate from its accidental properties and exists in some kind of
indeterminate state. He argues that whatever exists as really distinct from something else must
also be separable from it.
Classic Notion
It is necessary to retrieve the classical notion of substance as dynamic and active and
integrate it with the notion of relation as an intrinsic dimension of being which makes it able to
self-communicate. These two are both distinct but inseparable.
Substance as Active
Every real substance is highly dynamic. The purpose of being is to express itself through
action which is appropriate to its mode of being. To act is to be and vice versa this act is the
esse or simply the act of existence. It is through action that being makes itself know to us.
Because of this dynamism every being tends to naturally flow over into action according to
essence.
Action allows being to be self-communicative as it presents and reveals itself to other
beings while also reciprocating their self-communication. Action, therefore, is that which bonds
and connects beings and allows us to create a unity.
Substance as Self-Communicative
This notion of substance being active and dynamic connotes that every being creates a
web of relations with the beings around it. Therefore a being cannot be what it is without being
related in some way. When a being communicates itself a necessary sharing of beings inner
perfection takes place. Because there is a sharing a self-revelation takes place where being is
able to attain a self-image of itself.
Dyadic Synthesis
To be real is to be a dyadic synthesis of substance and relation. The notions of
substance as dynamic of substance being intrinsically relational are distinct and complementary
however never separable. The structure of every being is indissolubly dyadic: it exists both as
in-itself and as towards others.
Application in Human Life
According to St. Thomas the activity of our souls has three levels. First is the vegetative
faculty which concerns the body to which the soul is joined, where the activity of the soul affects
only the body to which it is joined. The second level is that which relates to all material objects-
all objects accessible to the senses and not just the body to which the soul is joined. And lastly,
the soul is also directed to all that exists, not just material objects.
From this we can see that to have an intrinsic existence is to also be able to relate.
The spirit-based self must have the most intensive power to relate to all existing things. In order
to achieve the fullest and most authentic perfection of soul and the human person, our lives
must consist of the fullest self-communication towards loving relationships to others. For a
human person, to be is to express ourselves in loving and make ourselves the center of the
widest possible web of relationships to all that exists though our two major self-relating powers-
knowledge and love. To live as ha human being is to live in love.