Rationes Seminales and Life Transformation

The purpose of this article is to examine the meaning of the theory of Seminal Reason (rationes seminales) by extracting the most fundamental thoughts from the understanding of the phenomena of life transformation and with them form four categories, viz.: “Stabilism,” “Dynamism,” “Internalism,” and “Externalism”—under which the rest of the body of understanding is to be classified. As an endeavor, this article will first, introduce four basic thoughts on the philosophical analysis of the phenomena of life alteration; second, expound on Augustine’s Theory of Creation in which understanding of life appears and where seminal reason offers a comprehensive explanation for the four categories of understanding life changes; lastly, examine the meaning of the theory of Seminal Reason illuminated in four different interpretations of understanding life.