第2章
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  ChapterIV

  Weshouldnowseehowessencesexistinseparatedsubstances,thatis,inthesoul,intheintelligences,andinthefirstcause。Now,whileeveryoneconcedesthesimplicityofthefirstcause,somepeoplehavetriedtointroduceintotheintelligencesandthesoulacompositionofformandmatter,apositionthatseemstohavebegunwithAvicebron,theauthorofthebookcalledFonsVitae。Butthisviewisrepugnanttothecommonteachingofthephilosophers,fortheycallthesethingssubstancesseparatedfrommatter,andtheyprovethemtobewhollywithoutmatter。Themostcogentdemonstrationofthisproceedsfromtheexcellenceofunderstandingfoundinthesesubstances。Forweseethatformsarenotactuallyintelligibleexceptastheyareseparatedfrommatteranditsconditions,andformsarenotmadeactuallyintelligibleexceptbyvirtueofanintelligentsubstance,whicheducestheformsandreceivestheminitself。Hence,inanyintelligentsubstancethereisacompleteabsenceofmatterinsuchawaythatthesubstancehasneitheramaterialpartitselfnorevenisthesubstancelikeaformimpressedinmatter,asisthecasewithmaterialforms。

  Norcansomeonesaythatonlycorporealmatter,andnotsomeotherkindofmatter,impedesintelligibility。For,ifitwereonlycorporealmaterthatimpedesintelligibility,thensincematteriscalledcorporealonlyinsofarasitexistsunderacorporealform,matter’simpedingintelligibilitywouldcomefromthecorporealform;andthisisimpossible,forthecorporealformisactuallyintelligiblejustlikeanyotherform,insofarasitisabstractedfrommatter。Hence,innowayisthereacompositionofmatterandformineitherthesoulortheintelligences,suchthatanessenceisreceivedintheseasincorporealsubstances。Nevertheless,inseparatesubstancesthereisacompositionofformandexistence,andsointheLiberdeCausis,prop。9,com。,itissaidthattheintelligenceshaveformandexistence,andinthisplaceformistakeninthesenseofasimplequiddityornature。

  Itiseasytoseehowthisisthecase。Whenevertwothingsarerelatedtoeachothersuchthatoneisthecauseoftheother,theonethatisthecausecanhaveexistencewithouttheother,butnotconversely。Now,wefindthatmatterandformarerelatedinsuchawaythatformgivesexistencetomatter,andthereforeitisimpossiblethatmatterexistwithoutaform;butitisnotimpossiblethataformexistwithoutmatter,foraform,insofarasitisaform,isnotdependentonmatter。Whenwefindaformthatcannotexistexceptinmatter,thishappensbecausesuchformsaredistantfromthefirstprinciple,whichisprimaryandpureact。Hence,thoseformsthatarenearestthefirstprinciplearesubsistingformsessentiallywithoutmatter,fornotthewholegenusofformsrequiresmatter,assaidabove,andtheintelligencesareformsofthistype。Thus,theessencesorquidditiesofthesesubstancesarenototherthantheformsthemselves。

  Therefore,theessenceofacompositesubstanceandthatofasimplesubstancedifferinthattheessenceofacompositesubstanceisnotformalonebutembracesbothformandmatter,whiletheessenceofasimplesubstanceisformalone。Andfromthistwootherdifferencesarise。Oneisthattheessenceofacompositesubstancecanbesignifiedasawholeorasapart,whichhappensbecauseofthedesignationofthematter,assaidabove。Hence,inoneway,theessenceofacompositethingisnotpredicatedofthecompositethingitself,forwecannotsaythatamanishisownquiddity。Buttheessenceofasimplething,whichisitsform,cannotbesignifiedexceptasawhole,asinthiscasethereisnothingbeyondtheformthatmightreceivethequiddity,andso,howeverwetaketheessenceofasimplething,theessenceispredicatedofit。Hence,AvicennasaysinMetaphysicaeV,cap。5that\"thequiddityofasimplethingisthesimplethingitself,\"becausethereisnootherthingtoreceivetheform。Theseconddifferenceisthattheessencesofcompositethings,becausetheyarereceivedindesignatematter,aremultipliedaccordingtothedivisionofmatter,andsoithappensthatsomethingsarethesameinspeciesbutdifferentinnumber。Butsincetheessenceofasimplethingisnotreceivedinmatter,therecanbenosuchmultiplicationinthiscase,andsoamongsuchsubstanceswedonotfindmanyindividualsofthesamespecies,asAvicennaexpresslysaysinMetaphysicaeV,cap。

  2。

  Althoughsubstancesofthiskindareformaloneandarewithoutmatter,theyareneverthelessnotineverywaysimple,andtheyarenotpureact;

  rather,theyhaveanadmixtureofpotency,andthiscanbeseenasfollows。

  Whateverisnotintheconceptoftheessenceorthequidditycomesfrombeyondtheessenceandmakesacompositionwiththeessence,becausenoessencecanbeunderstoodwithoutthethingsthatareitsparts。Buteveryessenceorquidditycanbeunderstoodwithoutunderstandinganythingaboutitsexistence:Icanunderstandwhatamanisorwhataphoenixisandneverthelessnotknowwhethereitherhasexistenceinreality。Therefore,itisclearthatexistenceissomethingotherthantheessenceorquiddity,unlessperhapsthereissomethingwhosequiddityisitsveryownexistence,andthisthingmustbeoneandprimary。For,therecanbenoplurificationofsomethingexceptbytheadditionofsomedifference,asthenatureofagenusismultipliedinitsspecies;oras,sincetheformisreceivedindiversematters,thenatureofthespeciesismultipliedindiverseindividuals;oragainaswhenonethingisabsoluteandanotherisreceivedinsomethingelse,asiftherewereacertainseparateheatthatwasotherthanunseparatedheatbyreasonofitsownseparation。Butifwepositathingthatisexistenceonly,suchthatitissubsistingexistenceitself,thisexistencewillnotreceivetheadditionofadifference,for,iftherewereaddedadifference,therewouldbenotonlyexistencebutexistenceandalsobeyondthissomeform;muchlesswouldsuchathingreceivetheadditionofmatter,forthenthethingwouldbenotsubsistingexistencebutmaterialexistence。Hence,itremainsthatathingthatisitsownexistencecannotbeotherthanone,andsoineveryotherthing,thething’sexistenceisonething,anditsessenceorquiddityornatureorformisanother。Intheintelligences,therefore,thereisexistencebeyondtheform,andsowesaythatanintelligenceisformandexistence。

  Everythingthatpertainstoathing,however,eitheriscausedbytheprinciplesofitsownnature,asrisibilityinman,orelsecomesfromsomeextrinsicprinciple,aslightintheairfromtheinfluenceofthesun。Now,itcannotbethatexistenceitselfiscausedbytheveryformorquiddityofthething(Imeanasbyanefficientcause),becausethenthethingwouldbeitsownefficientcause,andthethingwouldproduceitselfinexistence,whichisimpossible。Therefore,everythingtheexistenceofwhichisotherthanitsownnaturehasexistencefromanother。Andsinceeverythingthatisthroughanotherisreducedtothatwhichisthroughitselfastoafirstcause,thereissomethingthatisthecauseofexistinginallthingsinthatthisthingisexistenceonly。Otherwise,wewouldhavetogotoinfinityincauses,foreverythingthatisnotexistencealonehasacauseofitsexistence,assaidabove。Itisclear,therefore,thattheintelligencesareformandexistenceandhaveexistencefromthefirstbeing,whichisexistencealone,andthisisthefirstcause,whichisGod。

  Everythingthatreceivessomethingfromanotherisinpotencywithrespecttowhatitreceives,andthatwhichisreceivedinthethingisitsact;

  therefore,aquiddityorformthatisanintelligenceisinpotencywithrespecttotheexistencethatitreceivesfromGod,andthisreceivedexistenceisreceivedasitsact。Andthustherearefoundintheintelligencesbothpotencyandactbutnotmatterandform,unlessinsomeequivocalsense。

  Sotootosuffer,toreceive,tobeasubjectandeverythingofthistypethatseemtopertaintothingsbyreasonoftheirmatteraresaidofintellectualsubstancesandcorporealsubstancesequivocally,astheCommentatorsaysinDeAnimaIII,com。14。Furthermore,since,assaidabove,thequiddityofanintelligenceistheintelligenceitself,itsquiddityoressenceisitselftheverythingthatexists,anditsexistencereceivedfromGodisthatbywhichitsubsistsinthenatureofthings;andbecauseofthissomepeoplesaythatsubstancesofthiskindarecomposedofwhatisandthatbywhichitis,orofwhatisandexistence,asBoethiussaysinDeHebdomadibus(PL64,1311B—C)。

  Moreover,sincewepositintheintelligencespotencyandact,itwillnotbedifficulttofindamultitudeofintelligences,whichwouldbeimpossibleiftherewereinthemnopotency。Hence,theCommentatorsaysinDeAnimaIII,com。5thatifthenatureofthepossibleintellectwereunknown,wewouldnotbeabletofindamultitudeofseparatesubstances。

  Thereisthusadistinctionamongseparatesubstancesaccordingtotheirgradeofpotencyandactsuchthatthesuperiorintelligences,whicharenearerthefirstcause,havemoreactandlesspotency,andsoon。

  Thisscalecomestoanendwiththehumansoul,whichholdsthelowestplaceamongintellectualsubstances。Thesoul’spossibleintellectisrelatedtointelligibleformsjustasprimematter(whichholdsthelowestplaceinsensibleexistence)isrelatedtosensibleforms,astheCommentatorsaysinDeAnimaIII,com。5。ThePhilosopherthuscompares,IIIDeAnimacap。4(430a1),thesoultoatabletonwhichnothinghasbeenwritten。Since,amongintellectualsubstances,thesoulhasthemostpotency,itissoclosetomaterialthingsthatamaterialthingisbroughttoparticipateinitsexistence:thatis,fromthesoulandthebodythereresultsoneexistenceinonecompositething,althoughthisexistence,astheexistenceofthesoul,isnotdependentonthebody。Therefore,beyondthisformthatisthesoul,thereareotherformshavingmorepotencyandbeingclosertomatter,andsomuchsothattheyhavenoexistencewithoutmatter。Amongtheseformsthereisanorderandgradationdowntotheprimaryformsoftheelements,whichareclosesttomatter;andsothesehavenooperationexceptasrequiredbytheactiveandpassivequalitiesandothersuchqualitiesbywhichmatterisdisposedbyform。ChapterV

  Havingtreatedthesematters,wecanseeclearlyhowessenceisfoundinvariouskindsofthings。Therearethreewaysinwhichsubstancesmayhaveanessence。First,surely,isthewayGodhashisessence,whichishisveryexistenceitself,andsowefindcertainphilosopherssayingthatGoddoesnothaveaquiddityoressencebecausehisessenceisnototherthanhisexistence。Fromthisitfollowsthatheisnotinagenus,foreverythingthatisinagenushasaquidditybeyonditsexistence,sincethequiddityornatureofthegenusorspeciesisnotintheorderofnaturedistinguishedinthethingsofwhichitisthegenusorspecies,buttheexistenceisdiverseindiversethings。

  EventhoughwesaythatGodisexistencealonewedonotfallintotheerrorofthosewhosaidthatGodisthatuniversalexistencebywhicheverythingformallyexists。TheexistencewhichisGodisofsuchakindthatnoadditioncanbemadetoit,whencethroughitspurityitisdistinctfromeveryotherexistence;forthisreasontheauthoroftheLiberdeCausis,prop。9,com。,saysthattheindividuationofthefirstcause,whichisbeingalone,isthroughitspuregoodness。Butcommonexistence,justasitdoesnotincludeinitsconceptanyaddition,sotooinitsconceptdoesitnotexcludeanyaddition;for,ifsuchexistencedidinitsconceptexcludeanyaddition,nothingcouldbeunderstoodtoexistinwhichtherewasaddedsomethingbeyondexistence。

  Similarly,althoughGodisexistencealone,theremainingperfectionsandnobilitiesarenotlackinginhim。Onthecontrary,hehasalltheperfectionsthatexistineverygenus,andforthisreasonheiscalledperfectwithoutqualification,asthePhilosopher,VMetaphysicaecap。16(1021b30—33),andtheCommentator,MetaphysicaeV,com。

  21,eachsay。ButGodhastheseperfectionsinamoreexcellentwaythanallotherthingshavethembecauseinhimtheyareone,whileinotherthingstheyarediverse。AndthisisbecausealltheseperfectionspertaintoGodaccordingtohissimpleexistence,justas,ifsomeonethroughonequalitycouldeffecttheoperationsofallqualities,suchapersonwouldhaveinthatonequalityallthequalities,sotoodoesGodinhisveryexistencehavealltheperfections。

  Inasecondway,essenceisfoundincreatedintellectualsubstances,inwhichexistenceisotherthanessence,althoughinthesesubstancestheessenceiswithoutmatter。Hence,theirexistenceisnotabsolutebutreceived,andsofiniteandlimitedbythecapacityofthereceivingnature;

  buttheirnatureorquiddityisabsoluteandisnotreceivedinanymatter。

  Thus,theauthoroftheLiberdeCausis,prop。16,com。,saysthatintelligencesareinfiniteinaninferiorwayandfiniteinasuperiorway:theyarefinitewithrespecttotheirexistence,whichtheyreceivefromsomethingsuperior,thoughtheyarenotrenderedfiniteinaninferiorwaybecausetheirformsarenotlimitedtothecapacityofsomematterreceivingthem。Andthusamongsuchsubstanceswedonotfindamultitudeofindividualsinonespecies,assaidabove,exceptinthecaseofthehumansoul,andtherewedofindamultitudeofindividualsinonespeciesbecauseofthebodytowhichthesoulisunited。Now,theindividuationofthesouldependsonthebody,inanoccasionalmanner,astoitsinception,forthesouldoesnotacquireforitselfindividualexistenceunlessinthebodyofwhichitistheact。Butnevertheless,ifwesubtractthebody,theindividuationdoesnotperishbecause,sincethesoulwasmadetheformofagivenbody,theformhasabsoluteexistencefromwhichithasacquiredindividuatedexistence,andthisexistencealwaysremainsindividuated。

  AndthusAvicennasays,DeAnimaV,cap。3,thattheindividuationofsoulsandtheirmultiplicationdependonthebodyfortheirbeginningbutnotfortheirend。

  Sinceinthesesubstancesthequiddityisnotthesameasexistence,thesesubstancescanbeorderedinapredicament,andforthisreasonwefindamongthesethingsgenera,species,anddifferences,althoughtheirproperdifferencesarehiddenfromus。Insensiblethingseventheessentialdifferencesareunknowntous,andsotheyaresignifiedthroughaccidentaldifferencesthatarisefromtheessentialones,justasacauseissignifiedthroughitseffect。Wetakebipedality,forexample,asthedifferenceofman。Theproperaccidentsofimmaterialsubstances,however,areunknowntous,andthuswecansignifytheirdifferencesneitherpersenorthroughtheiraccidentaldifferences。

  Weshouldnote,though,thatthegenusanddifferenceinimmaterialsubstancesarenottakeninthesamewayasinsensiblesubstances,forinsensiblesubstancesthegenusistakenfromthatwhichismaterialinthething,whilethedifferenceistakenfromthatwhichisformalinthething。Hence,Avicennasays,DeAnimaI,cap。1,that,inthingscomposedofformandmatter,theform\"isitssimpledifferencebecausethethingisconstitutedfromit,\"not,however,becausetheformisthedifferencebutratherbecauseitistheprincipleofthedifference,asAvicennahimselfsaysinhisMetaphysicaeV,cap。6。Further,thisdifferenceiscalledasimpledifferencebecauseitistakenfromthatwhichisapartofthequiddityofthething,namely,fromtheform。Butsinceimmaterialsubstancesaresimplequiddities,insuchsubstancesthedifferencecannotbetakenfromthatwhichisapartofthequidditybutonlyfromthewholequiddity,andsoinDeAnimaI,cap。1,Avicennasaysthatsubstances\"havenosimpledifferenceexceptforthosespeciesofwhichtheessencesarecomposedofmatterandform。\"

  Similarly,inimmaterialthingsthegenusistakenfromthewholeessence,thoughnotinthesamewayasthedifferenceis。Oneseparatedsubstanceislikeanotherwithrespecttotheirimmateriality,buttheydifferonefromanotherwithrespecttotheirgradeofperfectionaccordingtohowfareachrecedesfrompotentialityandapproachespureact。Andso,insuchsubstances,thegenusistakenfromthatwhicharisesinthesesubstancesinsofarastheyareimmaterial,asintellectualityandsuchthings;thedifference,however,istakenfromthatwhicharisesinthesesubstancesfromtheirgradeofperfection,althoughthesedifferencesareunknowntous。Norarethesedifferencesaccidentalbecausetheyarisefromgreaterandlesserperfection,whichdonotdiversifythespecies。For,whilethegradeofperfectioninreceivingthesameformdoesnotdiversifythespecies(aswhiterandlesswhiteinparticipatinginwhitenessofthesametype),nevertheless,adifferentgradeofperfectionintheseparticipatedformsornaturesdoesdiversifythespecies,justasnatureproceedsbygradesfromplantstoanimalsthroughthosethingsthataremedianbetweenplantsandanimals,asthePhilosophersaysinVIIIDeHistoriaAnimaliumcap。1(588b4—12)。Norisitnecessarythatthedivisionofintellectualsubstancesalwaysbemadethroughtwotruedifferences,foritisimpossiblethatthishappeninallthings,asthePhilosophersaysinIDePartibusAnimaliumcap。2(642b5—7)。

  Inathirdway,essenceisfoundinsubstancescomposedofmatterandform,inwhichexistenceisbothreceivedandlimitedbecausesuchsubstanceshaveexistencefromanother,andagainbecausethenatureorquiddityofsuchsubstancesisreceivedinsignatematter。Andthussuchsubstancesarefiniteinbothasuperiorwayandaninferiorway,andamongsuchsubstances,becauseofthedivisionofsignatematter,therecanbeamultiplicationofindividualsinonespecies。Thewaysinwhichtheessenceinsuchsubstancesisrelatedtothelogicalintentionswehaveexplainedabove。ChapterVI

  Weshouldnowseeinwhatwaythereareessencesinaccidents,havingsaidalreadyhowessencesarefoundinalltypesofsubstances。Now,since,assaidabove,theessenceisthatwhichissignifiedbythedefinition,accidentswillthushaveessencesinthesamewayinwhichtheyhavedefinitions。

  Butaccidentshaveincompletedefinitions,becausetheycannotbedefinedunlessweputasubjectintheirdefinitions,andthisisbecausetheydonothaveabsoluteexistenceperseapartfromasubject,butjustasfromtheformandthemattersubstantialexistenceresultswhenasubstanceiscompounded,sotoofromtheaccidentandthesubjectdoesaccidentalexistenceresultwhentheaccidentcomestothesubject。Thus,neitherthesubstantialformnorthematterhasacompleteessence,foreveninthedefinitionofthesubstantialformweplacesomethingofwhichitistheform,andsoitsdefinitioninvolvestheadditionofsomethingthatisbeyonditsgenus,justaswiththedefinitionofanaccidentalform。

  Hence,thenaturalphilosopherplacesthebodyinthedefinitionofthesoulbecauseheconsidersthesoulonlyinsofarasitistheformofthephysicalbody。

  Butthisisthecaseonlywithsubstantialandaccidentalformsbecause,justasthesubstantialformhasnoabsoluteexistencepersewithoutthattowhichtheformcomes,sotoodoesthattowhichtheformcomes,namelymatter,havenoabsoluteperseexistence。Thus,fromtheconjunctionofboththereresultsthatexistenceinwhichthethingpersesubsists,andfromthesetwothereismadeonethingperse;for,fromtheconjunctionofthesethereresultsacertainessence。Hence,althoughconsideredinitselftheformdoesnothavethecompleteaspectofanessence,neverthelessitispartofacompleteessence。Butthattowhichanaccidentcomesisinitselfacompletebeingsubsistinginitsownexistence,andthisexistencenaturallyprecedestheaccidentthatsupervenes。Therefore,thesuperveningaccident,fromitsconjunctionwiththethingtowhichitcomes,doesnotcausethatexistenceinwhichthethingsubsists,theexistencethroughwhichthethingisabeingperse;itcauses,rather,acertainsecondaryexistencewithoutwhichthesubsistingbeingcanbeunderstoodtoexist,aswhatisfirstcanbeunderstoodwithoutwhatissecond。Hence,fromtheaccidentandthesubjectthereismadesomethingthatisoneaccidentally,notessentially;andsofromtheconjunctionofthesetwotheredoesnotresultanessence,astheredoesfromtheconjunctionofformandmatter。

  Andsoanaccidenthasneithertheaspectofacompleteessencenorisitapartofanessence;rather,justasanaccidentisabeingonlyinacertainsense,sotoodoesithaveanessenceonlyinacertainsense。

  Butsincethatwhichisgreatestandtruestinagenusisthecauseofthelesserthingsinthegenus(asfire,whichisattheextremeofheat,isthecauseofheatinotherhotthings,asthePhilosophersaysinIIMetaphysicaecap。1(993b24—27)),thussubstance,whichisfirstinthegenusofbeingsandwhichhasessenceinthetruestandgreatestway,isthecauseofaccidents,whichparticipateinthenotionofbeingonlysecondarilyandinacertainsense。Butthishappensinavarietyofways。Sincethepartsofsubstancearematterandform,certainaccidentsareprincipallyaconsequenceofform,andcertainaccidentsareprincipallyaconsequenceofmatter。Now,whilewefindsomeforms,liketheintellectualsoul,whoseexistencedoesnotdependonmatter,matterdoesnothaveexistenceexceptthroughform。Hence,amongthoseaccidentsthatareaconsequenceofform,therearesomethathavenocommunicationwithmatter,suchasunderstanding,whichdoesnottakeplacethroughacorporealorgan,asthePhilosopherprovesinIIIDeAnimacap。1(429a18—b5)。Otheraccidentsthatareaconsequenceofformdohavecommunicationwithmatter,andamongtheseissensation。Butnoaccidentaconsequenceofmatteriswithoutsomecommunicationwithform。

  Amongtheaccidentsthatareconsequencesofmatterthereisfoundacertaindiversity。Someaccidentsfollowfromtheorderthematterhastoaspecialform,asthemasculineandthefeminineinanimals,thedifferencebetweenwhichisreducedtothematter,asthePhilosophersaysinXMetaphysicaecap。9(1058b21—23)。Hence,theformoftheanimalhavingbeenremoved,theseaccidentsdonotremainexceptinsomeequivocalsense。Otheraccidentsfollowfromtheorderthematterhastoageneralform,andsowiththeseaccidents,ifthespecialformisremoved,theaccidentsstillremaininthething,astheblacknessoftheskinofanEthiopiancomesfromthemixtureoftheelementsandnotfromthenotionofthesoul,andhencetheblacknessremainsinthemanafterdeath。

  Sinceeverythingisindividuatedbymatterandisplacedinitsgenusorspeciesthroughitsform,theaccidentsthatfollowfromthematterareaccidentsoftheindividual,andbytheseaccidentsindividualsofthesamespeciesdifferonefromanother。Buttheaccidentsthatfollowfromtheformareproperlypassionsofthegenusorspecies,andsotheyarefoundinallthingsparticipatinginthenatureofthegenusorspecies,asrisibilityinmanfollowsfromtheform,forlaughtercomesfromacertainkindofunderstandinginthesoulofman。

  Weshouldalsonotethatsomeaccidentsarecausedbytheessentialprinciplesofathingaccordingtoitsperfectact,asheatinfire,whichisalwayshot,whileotheraccidentsaretheresultofanaptitudeinthesubstance,andinsuchcasesthecompleteaccidentarisesfromanexterioragent,astransparencyinair,whichiscompletedthroughanexteriorluminescentbody。Insuchthings,theaptitudeisaninseparableaccident,butthecomplement,whichcomesfromsomeprinciplethatisbeyondtheessenceofthething,orthatdoesnotenterintotheconstitutionofthething,isseparable,astheabilitytobemoved,andsoon。

  Weshouldfurthernotethatinaccidents,thegenus,difference,andspeciesaretakeninawaydifferentfromthatinsubstances。Forinsubstances,fromthesubstantialformandthematterthereismadesomethingoneperse,acertainsinglenatureresultingfromtheconjunctionofthesetwo,andthisnatureisproperlyplacedinthepredicamentofsubstance。Hence,insubstances,theconcretetermsthatsignifythecompositeareproperlysaidtobeinthegenus,inthemannerofthespeciesorthegenus,as,forexample,manoranimal。Butinthiswayneithertheformnorthematterisinapredicamentexceptbymeansofreduction,aswhenwesaythattheprinciplesofathingareinitsgenus。However,fromtheaccidentandthesubjecttheredoesnotresultsomethingthatisoneperse,andthusfromtheconjunctionofthesetwotheredoesnotresultanaturetowhichtheintentionofgenusorspeciesmightbeattributed。Therefore,theaccidentaltermstakenconcretely,likewhiteormusical,cannotbeplacedinapredicamentexceptbymeansofreduction;buttheycanbeplacedinapredicamentwhentheyaresignifiedabstractly,aswhitenessandmusic。Andbecauseaccidentsarenotcomposedofmatterandform,inaccidentsthegenuscannotbetakenfromthematter,thedifferencefromtheform,asisthecasewithcompositesubstances;rather,thefirstgenusistakenfromtheirverymodeofexisting,asbeingissaidindifferentwaysaccordingtowhatispriorandwhatisposteriorinthetengeneraofpredicaments,andthuswecallthemeasureofasubstancequantity,thedispositionofasubstancequality,andsoonfortheothers,asthePhilosophersaysinIXMetaphysicaecap。

  1(1045b27—32)。

  Thedifferencesinaccidentsaretakenfromthediversityofprinciplesbywhichtheyarecaused。Sincepassionsareproperlycausedbytheproperprinciplesofthesubject,thesubjectisplacedinthedefinitionofthepassioninplaceofthedifferenceifthepassionisbeingdefinedintheabstractandproperlyinitsgenus,aswhenwesaythathavingasnubnoseistheupwardcurvatureofthenose。Butitwouldbetheconverseifthedefinitionofthepassionweretakenaccordingtoitsconcretesense;inthisway,thesubjectisplacedinthedefinitionasagenus,forthenthepassionisdefinedinthemodeofcompositesubstancesinwhichthenotionofthegenusistakenfromthematter,aswhenwesaythatasnubnoseisanupwardlycurvingnose。Thecaseissimilarwhenoneaccidentistheprincipleofanother,astheprincipleofrelationisactionandpassionandquantity,andthusbyreferencetothesethePhilosopherdividesrelationinVMetaphysicaecap。15(1020b26—32)。Butbecausetheproperprinciplesofaccidentsarenotalwaysmanifest,wesometimestakethedifferencesofaccidentsfromtheireffects,aswedowiththeconcentrativeandthediffusive,whicharecalledthedifferencesofcolorandwhicharecausedbytheabundanceorthepaucityoflight,whichcausethedifferentspeciesofcolor。

  Wehavethusmadeclearhowessenceisfoundinsubstancesandinaccidents,andhowincompositesubstancesandinsimpleones,andinwhatwaytheuniversalintentionsoflogicarefoundinallofthese,exceptforthefirstbeing,whichistheextremeofsimplicityandtowhich,becauseofitssimplicity,thenotionsofgenus,species,andthusdefinitiondonotapply;andhavingsaidthiswemaymakeanproperendtothisdiscourse。

  Amen。

  NOTES:

  [1]ThistranslationfollowstheLeonineEditionofAquinas’works,vol。43SanctiThomaeDeAquinoOperaOmnia368—381(Rome1976)。

  [2]Allpersonsarelicensedtoreproducethistranslationandthefootnotesheretoforpersonaloreducationalpurposes,providedthatthenoticeofcopyrightsetforthaboveandthisnoticeareincludedintheirrespectiveentiretiesinallcopies。Thislicenseincludesreproductionbyacommercialentityengagedinthebusinessofprovidingcopyingservicesifsuchreproductionismadepursuanttoanagreementtheotherpartytowhichwouldbelicensedundertheprecedingsentencetoreproducethistranslationforpersonaloreducationalpurposes。

  [3]Althoughquotedbyvariousthirteenthcenturyauthors,thisstatementdoesnotappearinthetextofDePersonaetDuabusNaturisaswehaveit。

  [4]AquinasknewthisbookasBookXI。

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