Classical Philosophical Perspectives of When Life Begins
- Abortion Museum
- Nov 29
- 4 min read
The question of when human life begins has spurred profound philosophical inquiry throughout history. Classical thinkers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Thomas Aquinas developed foundational ideas on the soul and its relation to the body, which continue to shape contemporary perspectives on the beginning of life and abortion. From Plato’s focus on the soul to Aristotle’s insights on body-soul unity, and Aquinas’s synthesis of these ideas within a Christian framework, each philosopher’s approach provides valuable insights for modern pro-life arguments.
Plato’s Focus on the Soul
Plato’s philosophical thought emphasizes the primacy of the soul, portraying it as the true essence of a person, distinct and separable from the physical body. In the Republic, he states that “the body is by nature the prison of the soul… and it is the soul which is the true self of each of us” (Republic 589a–b), underscoring that human identity rests not in the body but in the soul. In works such as Phaedo and Republic, Plato describes the soul as eternal, pre-existing before and persisting after bodily life. In Phaedo, Socrates argues that “our souls existed before they were in a human form, apart from the body, and they had intelligence” (Phaedo 72e), and later affirms that “the soul is immortal and imperishable” (Phaedo 106e). This notion posits that the soul, as the defining element of personhood, transcends the physical state of human existence. Although Plato does not explicitly address the issue of when life begins, his belief in the soul's primacy has shaped certain pro-life interpretations, which emphasize the intrinsic worth of every human soul. These interpretations draw from Plato’s view that the true self is immaterial and eternal, a perspective also reinforced in Phaedrus, where he writes, “Every soul is immortal… for the soul is the source of its own motion” (Phaedrus 245c).
Modern pro-life thought draws from Plato’s view by highlighting that the uniqueness and inherent value of a person reside not solely in biological form but in the presence of a soul. If, as Plato argues, the soul is the true identity of a human being, pre-existing, immortal, and of higher value than the body, then moral significance is attached to the very existence of that soul. This idea supports the perspective that life begins at conception because, at this point, a unique human identity and purpose are believed to come into existence. In this framework, the Platonic understanding of the soul’s eternal nature aligns with the belief that every human being, from the earliest moment, bears intrinsic value. This Platonic notion also finds resonance in the belief that the human soul warrants moral protection, suggesting that life’s beginning, coupled with the soul's arrival, imparts a sacred responsibility to protect the unborn.
Aristotle’s Concept of Body-Soul Unity
While Plato emphasized the soul’s separation from the body, Aristotle offered a contrasting vision rooted in the unity of form and matter. This brief video from Hillsdale College on Aristotle’s Four Causes provides the foundation for understanding how he approached living beings and the unfolding of human life.
With this foundation in mind, we can better understand Aristotle’s view of the soul and its relationship to the developing human being. Unlike Plato, Aristotle saw the soul and body as intimately connected, with the soul as the “form” or “essence” of the body. In his De Anima, Aristotle argues that the soul cannot exist without the body, as it functions as the animating principle of a living organism. Aristotle’s perspective on “delayed ensoulment,” the idea that the rational soul enters the developing fetus at a particular stage rather than at conception, has influenced historical and modern debates. He proposed that the rational soul joins the fetus after some days of physical development, an idea that was later extended by Christian thinkers.
Aristotle’s concept of body–soul unity continues to be central to bioethical discussions on when a person attains full moral status. Pro-life advocates may interpret Aristotle’s emphasis on the soul as an integral component of a fully human life to argue that even at conception, the essential potential for human life exists. Although Aristotle believed ensoulment occurred after conception, his emphasis on the necessity of both body and soul for personhood fuels ongoing debates over fetal personhood, bodily autonomy, and the ethical implications of abortion.
Aquinas’s Influence on Christian Views of Personhood and Abortion
Building on Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas synthesized Aristotelian philosophy with Christian doctrine, further developing the relationship between the soul and body. In Summa Theologica, Aquinas posits that the soul is infused by God, eventually aligning with Aristotle’s delayed ensoulment but grounding it within a theological context. For Aquinas, human life holds intrinsic worth as God’s creation, and he contends that human personhood is imbued with divine purpose. Over time, Aquinas’s teachings on the sanctity of life have become foundational to Christian views on personhood and abortion.
Aquinas’s belief in the sanctity of life has shaped Christian ethics, reinforcing the idea that all human beings, as bearers of divine purpose, should be protected from conception onward. While Aquinas initially supported delayed ensoulment, later theological interpretations argue that human dignity begins at conception, as the first moment when a unique human being begins to exist. This framework has strongly influenced Catholic doctrine and pro-life movements, advocating for the full protection of unborn life as a reflection of God’s will and a commitment to uphold human dignity.
What do we believe?
We believe that every human life begins at conception and is endowed with inherent worth as a bearer of God’s image. While philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, and Aquinas offer valuable insights into the nature of the soul and human personhood, Scripture provides the ultimate foundation for our conviction that life is sacred from its earliest moment. The developing child is not a potential person but a person with potential, created intentionally by God, known by Him, and deserving of protection and love. Guided by both scientific understanding and biblical truth, we affirm that the unborn are full members of the human family, and we hold a moral responsibility to defend and cherish their lives.
Learn the full historical background in our History of Abortion exhibit:
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