Rational animal

Rational animal is a Latin translation of the Greek " zoon logikon " or " zoon logon echon ". With this expression, Aristotle emphasized the ability of humans to think out as the essential, distinguishing him from the animal attribute of man. The detailed understanding depends on how reason, thinking, logos, mind, ratio and other terms are defined.

Judging from the " theory of the psycho-physical double nature of man " and looks - as Plato - the essence of man in reason, this leads to a rational anthropology. The assumed primacy of the animal nature of man, however, can lead to Biologism or materialism. From Aristotle, such a dualism was rejected. Thomas Aquinas brought this perspective, building on Aristotle on the notion that the soul is the " forma corporis ".

Immanuel Kant defined the human being as animal rationabile that needed by the realization of his capacity for reason shall not form rational animal. The man is only through education and training to the people, an enlightening view of the sometimes " an almost explosive effect " has been attached.

" Going in the historicity of human existence in favor of a supra-historical definition of the essence, the rationality of man, sacrificed" By contrast, Martin Heidegger criticized the definition of man as a rational animal, as it would lead to a " narrowing of the concept of existence ," as ..