God should not be called an individual substance, since the principal of individuation is matter

God should not be called an individual substance, since the principal of individuation is matter

In the context of Thomas Aquinas' philosophy, the statement that "God should not be called an individual substance, since the principle of individuation is matter" raises important questions about the nature of God and the relationship between God and the material world. Aquinas, a prominent medieval theologian and philosopher, sought to reconcile faith and reason by using the tools of Aristotelian philosophy to understand the nature of God and the universe.

One of the key concepts in Aquinas' philosophy is the distinction between essence and existence. According to Aquinas, God's essence is identical with his existence, meaning that God is pure existence itself. This sets God apart from created beings, whose essence and existence are distinct. In other words, God is not a being among beings, but rather the source of all being.

The principle of individuation, on the other hand, is the principle that determines what makes one individual distinct from another. In the material world, individuation is typically understood in terms of matter – the particular physical properties that make one object different from another. For example, two apples may have the same essence (being apples), but they are individuated by their particular size, shape, and color.

Given this understanding of individuation, it is clear why Aquinas would argue that God should not be called an individual substance. God, as pure existence, is not individuated by matter or any other physical properties. God is not a particular being located in space and time, but rather the ground of all being. To call God an individual substance would be to misunderstand the nature of God and to limit God to the constraints of the material world.

Instead, Aquinas would argue that God is a transcendent and infinite being, beyond the limitations of individuality and materiality. God is not a being that can be classified or categorized like other created beings, but rather the source and sustainer of all existence. In this sense, God is not an individual substance, but rather the ultimate reality that underlies and transcends all individual substances.