If you walk nowadays the streets of any large city, the sheer number of homeless, confused people will make you wonder if Aristotle’s theory of potentiality and actuality has been totally forgotten.
While most people today believe that self-development and self-actualization are almost impossible, Aristotle had already observed twenty-five centuries ago that all creatures have the potential to actualize a better version of themselves.
Aristotle defined “potentiality” as “the capacity for change that creatures and entities possess.” In contrast, his definition of “actuality” is the “the realization their potential.”
From this perspective, the whole dynamics of the world can be explained by the activities of creatures and entities to attain their potential.
Thus, change of any sort (chemical, mechanical, biological, or psychological) can be regarded as potentiality turning into actuality. If you take clay and make a cup, you have actualized its potential. In doing so, you have applied your purpose (final cause) to a material to give it a specific shape (formal cause).
Final causation in Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality
Human creativity and vision play a major role in developing new products, features and markets; only humans can conceive complex goals (final cause) and organize materials, shapes and labour to bring projects to fruition.
In contrast to prior philosophers, and also in contrast to later philosophers, Aristotle applied the concepts of potentiality and actuality to morality. He regarded happiness (“eudaimonia” in Greek) as the ultimate goal of human life and self-actualization as the primary path to happiness.
If you want to improve your life and achieve happiness, the best way is to develop your potential. This means learning new skills, making ambitious plans, and working steadily to pursue your dreams. It is up to you to actualize your potential. Do not leave it to chance.
For Aristotle, the concept of self-actualization goes together with the happiness, flourishing or thriving; human happiness is a dynamic process whereby individuals become better versions of themselves.
You cannot become happy by doing nothing and meditating the whole day. You cannot attain self-actualization by repeating some mantra and brainwashing yourself; happiness needs to be earned by means of focused action.
Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality compared to Augustine’s
After Aristotle’s death in 322 BC, the concept of potentiality was soon distorted. Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD) was still employing the term, but with a whole different meaning. In his eyes, potentiality isn’t something that you develop yourself, but something that God could develop for you.
Augustine regarded the distinction between potentiality and actuality as part of God’s plan for the world. He viewed God as the ultimate driver of actuality. Every potential in the world or in each person can be brought into actuality only by God.
It goes without saying that Augustine’s philosophy does not motivate people to develop new skills, set goals, make plans, and carry them out resolutely. Instead, it encourages people to pray God for favours or miracles, and accept failure quietly.
Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality compared to Boethius’
The Roman philosopher Boethius (480-524 AD) continued to build the opposition against Aristotle’s ideas of potentiality and actuality. In his work “The Consolation of Philosophy,” written in 523 AD, Boethius encouraged readers to accept the miseries of life as God’s will, however inscrutable.
While Aristotle is encouraging individuals to take decisive action to improve their lives, Boethius is asking them to accept their imperfections and failures passively.
God knows all future events and drives the present as well. Humans remain free to make decisions, but lack the capacity to see how events fit in God’s plan for the world.
According to Boethius, humans lack enough perspective to understand causality. What humans perceive as evil must have been determined by God to attain goals that we cannot fathom. This is why Boethius advised people to accept their fate and do not complain.
As you can see, neither Augustine nor Boethius had grasped Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality. By placing all decisions in God’s hands, they destroyed human motivation for hundreds of years. The result was the Middle Ages, a period of stagnation and misery.
A through understanding of Aristotle’s ideas of potentiality and actuality is crucial for self-actualization and happiness. If you are interested in applying Aristotle’s principles to your life, I recommend you my book “Rational living, rational working.”
Related articles
Aristotle’s four key contributions to philosophy
Aristotle’s pursuit of knowledge and truth
Key ideas in Aristotle’s concepts of potentiality and actuality
Aristotle’s understanding of human flourishing and success compared to Kant’s
Key ideas in Aristotle’s understanding of human flourishing and success