Which of the following is NOT an example of Aristotle’s notion of hylomorphism?

• Bodily organs and a human being

• An unborn child and a human being

• A statue and a human being

• The soul and a human being

The answer is

A Statue and human being

Explanation- Aristotle defines soul as a “form” which makes a living thing alive and specifies the principle and the cause of a living thing. Human being is the body, which is the matter as defined by Aristotle. This body cannot exist without a soul and thus soul is related to a body as form to matter. This also states that a soul exists after the death of a person but the body is deteriorated and like matter, destroys.

Similarly, bodily organs form the human being, where organs become the form and human being is the matter. In the case of an unborn child, the unborn child is a form which constitutes the human being.

In the case of statue and human being, both are matter and thus do not justify the notion of hylomorphism.