Naturally, one attempts to start an argument with uncontroversial premises. In this scenario, it appears unarguable that we have bodies, that we live in a material universe, and that our soul/mind becomes aware of the material world through our senses. Our senses enable us to become aware of persons who exist in space and time, such as Socrates, a specific horse named Flicka, or a specific triangle.
We inquire about objects by asking, "What is X?" In other words, we strive to define things. We don't simply want denotative definitions that offer instances of objects to which a word refers; we want connotative definitions: what is common and unique to all of the things denoted by a term that makes them what they are—what determines them based on their species or type. A connotative definition attempts to describe the nature, essence, or form of a certain kind of item. Socrates appears to have been the first to recognize the distinction between these two types of definitions.
Reason or the intellect create concepts. So, the mind, through reason/intellect, creates ideas that allow it to comprehend the natures of things. It is important to note that intelligence is not the same as imagination. Picture thinking is what imagination is. Imagination always includes seeing people in terms of their sensory qualities. However, the nature of anything, say, a human person, is not the same as another human being. We can conceive of a person's nature but not visualize it since we can only envisage a specific human being or group of human beings.
There is a metaphysical difference between things' essences/natures/forms and their material manifestations. Material things that we perceive with our senses exist in space and time. However, the natures of things are not of this type. It is worth noting that, while individuals change during their lifetimes, the nature of what a human being is does not. Human beings have the same nature no matter when they exist. Classical thinkers often assume that the natures of things do not change. This is in stark contrast to, instance, current biology, in which both species and individuals are prone to change. In any case, the natures of things have a distinct type of reality – an immaterial reality.

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