Authors/Thomas Aquinas/metaphysics/liber10/lect9

Lecture 9

Latin	English
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 1 Postquam philosophus determinavit de contrariis, hic determinat de mediis contrariorum; et circa hoc duo facit. Primo proponit de quo est intentio; dicens: quia contrariorum contingit aliquid esse medium, ut supra dictum est, et quaedam contrariorum medium habent, ostendendum est quod necesse est media esse ex contrariis. Non autem hoc solum ostendit, sed etiam quaedam alia quae ad huius probationem sunt necessaria.	2097. Having expressed his views about contraries, the Philosopher now does the same thing with regard to the intermediates between contraries; and concerning this he does two things. First (878)C 2097), he indicates what his plan is. He says that, since there can be an intermediate between contraries, as has been shown above (850:C 2042), and some contraries have an intermediate, it is necessary to show that intermediates are composed of contraries. He not only does this but also proves certain points needed for this proof. Intermediaries of contraries
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 2 Deinde cum dicit omnia namque prosequitur suam intentionem; et circa hoc tria facit. Primo ostendit, quod media sunt in eodem genere cum contrariis. Secundo ostendit, quod media sunt inter contraria tantum, ibi, at vero media et cetera. Tertio vero ostendit, quod media componuntur ex contrariis, quod est principaliter intentum, ibi, si vero sunt in eodem genere. Dicit ergo primo, quod omnia media sunt in eodem genere cum his quorum sunt media. Quod sic probat. Quia haec est diffinitio mediorum, quod media sunt inter quae prius venit illud quod mutatur de uno extremorum, quam in alterum extremum.	2098. For all intermediates (879). Then he carries out his plan; and in regard to this he does three things. First, he shows that intermediates belong to the same genus as contraries. Second (2101), he shows that there are intermediates only between contraries (“But all intermediates”). Third (2098), he establishes his main thesis, that intermediates are composed of contraries (“Now if intermediates”). He accordingly says, first, that all intermediates belong to the same class as the things of which they are the intermediates. He proves this by pointing out that intermediates are defined as that into which a thing undergoing change from one extreme to another first passes.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 3 Et hoc manifestat per duo exempla. Primo quidem in sonis. Sunt enim quidam soni graves, et quidam acuti, et quidam medii. Et secundum hanc distinctionem sonorum, distinguuntur chordae in musicis instrumentis. Illae enim chordae, quae reddunt graves sonos, dicuntur hypatae, quia principales. Illae vero quae reddunt acutos sonos, dicuntur netae. Si igitur musicus paulatim a gravibus ad acutos descendere velit, quod est transire per mediam rationem, necesse est quod prius veniat ad sonos medios. Secundo autem manifestat in coloribus. Si enim aliquid mutatur ex albo in nigrum, oportet quod primum veniat ad medios colores quam ad nigrum. Et similiter est in aliis mediis.	2099. He makes this clear by two examples. First, he uses the example of sounds; for some sounds are low and some are high and some are intermediate. And strings on musical instruments are distinguished by this distinction of sounds; for those strings which yield low pitched sounds are called “top-strings” because they are the basic ones, and those which yield high pitched sounds are called “bottom-strings.” Hence, if a musician wishes to proceed step by step from low sounds to high ones, and so to pass through an intermediate register, he must first come to the intermediate sounds. Second, he makes this clear by using colors. For if a thing is changed from white to black, it must first pass through the intermediate colors before it reaches black. The same thing is true of other intermediates.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 4 Sic igitur patet quod de mediis fit transmutatio ad extrema, et e converso. Sed in his quae sunt in diversis generibus, non fit transmutatio in invicem nisi per accidens, sicut patet in colore et figura. Non enim mutatur aliquid de colore in figuram aut e converso; sed de colore in colorem, et de figura in figuram. Unde necesse est quod media et extrema sint in eodem genere.	2100. It is evident, then, that change passes from intermediates to extremes and the reverse. But things belonging to diverse genera are changed into each other only accidentally, as is clear with regard to color and figure; for a thing is not changed from color to figure or vice versa, but from color to color, and from figure to figure. Hence intermediates and extremes must belong to the same genus.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 5 Deinde cum dicit at vero ostendit quod media sunt inter contraria; et circa hoc duo facit. Primo ostendit quod media necesse est esse inter opposita. Secundo inter quae opposita, quia inter contraria, ibi, oppositorum vero. Dicit ergo primo, quod omnia media necesse est esse inter opposita. Quod sic probat. Quia solum ex oppositis, per se loquendo, fiunt mutationes, ut probatur in primo physicorum. Ex nigro enim aliquid fit album per se loquendo. Dulce autem non fit ex nigro nisi per accidens, inquantum dulce convenit esse album. Sed media sunt inter illa ex quibus est mutua transmutatio, sicut per definitionem mediorum suprapositam patet. Impossibile est ergo quod media sint non oppositorum; quia sequeretur quod esset permutatio non ex oppositis.	2101. But all intermediates (880). Here he shows that intermediates stand between contraries; and in regard to this he does two things. First, he shows that intermediates must stand between opposites. Second (881:C 2102), he indicates the kind of opposites between which they stand, namely, contraries (“For the opposites”). He accordingly says, first (880), that all intermediates must stand between opposites. He proves this as follows: changes arise, properly speaking, only from opposites, as is proved in Book I of the Physics; for properly speaking a thing changes from black to white; and what is sweet comes from black only accidentally inasmuch as it is possible for something sweet to become white. But intermediates stand between things which are changed into each other, as is evident from the definition of intermediates given above (879:C 2098). Therefore it is impossible that intermediates should not stand between opposites; otherwise it would follow that change would not proceed from opposites.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 6 Deinde cum dicit oppositorum enim manifestat inter quae opposita possint esse media; dicens, quod inter opposita in contradictione nullo modo potest esse medium. Contradictio enim est oppositio, cuius altera pars ex necessitate adest cuicumque subiecto, sive sit ens, sive non ens. De quolibet enim ente vel non ente necesse est dicere quod sedet, vel non sedet. Et sic patet, quod contradictio nullum habet medium.	2102. For the opposites (881). Then he indicates the kinds of opposites that can have intermediates. He says that there cannot be any intermediates whatsoever between the opposite terms of a contradiction; for contradictory opposition is such that one part of it must belong to any type of subject, whether it be a being or a non-being. For we must say that any being or non-being either is sitting or is not sitting. Thus it is evident that contradictories have no intermediate.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 7 Sed aliorum oppositorum alia sunt ad aliquid, alia privatio et forma, alia ut contraria. Eorum autem, quae sunt ad aliquid, quaedam se habent ut contraria, quae ex aequo adinvicem referuntur; et ista habent medium. Quaedam vero non se habent ut contraria, quae non ex aequo adinvicem referuntur, sicut scientia et scibile; et ista non habent medium. Cuius causa est, quia media et extrema sunt in eodem genere. Haec autem non sunt in eodem genere, cum unum secundum se referatur, ut scientia, non autem aliud, ut scibile. Quomodo ergo scientiae et scibilis potest aliquid esse medium? Sed magni et parvi potest esse aliquid medium, idest aequale, ut supra dictum est. Et similiter eorum quae referuntur adinvicem, ut contraria. Quomodo autem ea quae opponuntur privative habeant media vel non habeant, et quomodo haec oppositio aliquo modo pertinet ad contrarietatem, hic tacet, quia supra exposuit.	2103. But in the case of other opposites some involve relations, some privation and form, and some contraries. Now of opposites which are relative, some are like contraries which are related to each other on an equal basis, and these have an intermediate. But some do not have the character of contraries, for example, those which are not related to each other on an equal basis, as knowledge and a knowable object; and these do not have an intermediate. And the reason is that intermediates and extremes belong to the same genus. But these things do not belong to the same genus, since the one is related in itself, as knowledge, but the other is not, as the knowable object. How, then, can there be an intermediate between knowledge and the knowable object? But there can be “an intermediate” between the large and the small, and this is the equal, as has been stated above (881)C 2102). The same thing is true of those things which are related to each other as contraries. He does not mention how things which are opposed privatively have an intermediate or how they do not, and how this opposition somehow pertains to contrariety, because he has explained these points above (851-3:C 2043-53).
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 8 Deinde cum dicit si vero ostendit tertium quod principaliter intendit, scilicet quod media sunt composita ex contrariis. Et circa hoc duo facit. Primo proponit quod intendit; dicens, quod si media in eodem genere sint cum extremis, sicut ostensum est, et si iterum media sint solum contrariorum, ut etiam ostensum est; necesse est media componi ex his contrariis inter quae sunt.	2104. Now if intermediates (882). Third, he proves the point that constitutes his main thesis. He says that, if intermediates belong to the same genus as extremes, as has been shown (879:C 2098), and if again there are intermediates only between contraries, as has also been shown (882:C 2104), then intermediates must be composed of the contraries between which they stand.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 9 Deinde cum dicit nam erit probat propositum. Et circa hoc tria facit. Primo ostendit quod contrariae species habent priora contraria ex quibus constituuntur. Quod sic probat. Oportet enim quod contrariorum, aut sit aliquod genus, aut nullum. Si autem nullum genus esset contrariorum, non haberent medium; quia medium non est nisi eorum quae sunt unius generis, ut ex dictis patet. Sed si contrariorum, quorum ponitur medium, sit aliquod genus prius ipsis contrariis, necesse est etiam quod sint differentiae contrariae priores speciebus contrariis, quae faciant et constituant species contrarias ex ipso genere uno. Species enim ex genere et differentiis constituuntur.	2105. For there will (883). Then he proves his thesis; and in regard to this he does three things. First, he proves that contrary species have prior contraries of which they are composed. He proceeds as follows: there must either be a genus of contraries or not. But if there is no genus of contraries, contraries will not have an intermediate; for there 4 an intermediate only between those things which belong to one genus, as is evident from what has been said. But if those contraries which are assumed to have an intermediate have some genus which is prior to the contraries themselves, there must also be different contraries prior to contrary species, which make and constitute contrary species from this one genus. For species are constituted of genus and differences.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 10 Et hoc manifestat per exemplum. Sicut si album et nigrum sint contrariae species, et habeant unum genus quod est color, necesse est quod habeant aliquas differentias constitutivas; ita quod album sit color disgregativus visus, nigrum vero color congregativus. Et sic hae differentiae congregativum et disgregativum sunt priores albo et nigro. Unde, cum utrobique sit contrarietas, manifestum est quod contraria sunt seinvicem priora. Contrariae enim differentiae sunt priores contrariis speciebus. Et sunt etiam magis contrariae, quia sunt causae contrarietatis ipsis speciebus.	2106. He makes this clear by an example. If white and black belong to contrary species and have one genus, color, they must have certain constitutive differences, so that white is a color capable of expanding vision, and black is a contracting color. Therefore the differences “contracting” and “expanding” are prior to white and to black. Hence, since in each case there is a contrariety, it is evident that some contraries are prior to others; for contrary differences are prior to contrary species; and they are also contrary to a greater degree because they are causes of the contrariety in these species.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 11 Considerandum tamen quod disgregativum et congregativum visus, non sunt verae differentiae constitutivae albi et nigri, sed magis effectus eorum. Ponuntur tamen loco differentiarum, signa earum. Sicut interdum per accidentia, designantur differentiae et formae substantiales. Disgregatio enim visus provenit ex vehementia lucis, cuius plenitudo albedinem constituit. Et congregatio visus provenit ex causa contraria.	2107. However, it must be understood that, while “expanding” and “contracting” as referred to vision are not true differences which constitute white and black, but rather are their effects, still they are given in place of differences as signs of them, just as differences and substantial forms are sometimes designated by accidents. For the expansion of vision comes from the strength of the light, whose fullness constitutes whiteness. And the contraction of vision has as its cause the opposite of this.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 12 Deinde cum dicit et reliqua ostendit quod etiam mediae species habent priora media, ex quibus constituuntur; dicens, quod cum media sint species eiusdem generis, et omnes species ex genere et differentia constituantur, necesse est quod media constituantur ex genere et differentiis. Sicut quicumque colores sunt medii inter album et nigrum, oportet hos definiri ex genere, quod est color, et ex quibusdam differentiis. Et hae differentiae, ex quibus constituuntur medii colores, non possunt esse immediate prima contraria, scilicet differentiae contrariae quae constituebant contrarias species albi et nigri. Aliter oportet quod quilibet color medius esset albus aut niger. Nam color congregativus est niger, et disgregativus est albus. Oportet igitur quod differentiae constitutivae mediorum colorum sint alterae a differentiis contrariis, quae sunt constitutivae contrariarum specierum. Et quia, sicut se habent species ad species, ita se habent differentiae ad differentias: oportet quod sicut medii colores sunt species mediae inter species contrarias, ita differentiae constitutivae earum sint mediae inter differentias contrarias quae dicuntur prima contraria.	2108. And the other (884). He shows too that intermediate species have prior intermediates of which they are composed. He says that, since intermediates are species of the same genus, and all species are constituted of genus and differences, intermediates must be constituted of genus and differences; for example, any colors that are intermediate between white and black must be defined by their genus, color’ and by certain differences; and these differences of which intermediate colors are composed cannot be the immediate “primary contraries,” i.e., the differences which constitute the contrary species of white and black. Again, any color must be intermediate between white and black; for black is a contracting color and white an expanding color. Hence the differences which constitute intermediate colors must differ according to the different contraries which are constitutive of contrary species. And since differences are related to differences as species are to species, then just as intermediate colors are intermediate species between contrary species, in a similar fashion the differences which constitute them must be intermediate between the contrary differences which are called primary contraries.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 13 Deinde cum dicit primae autem ostendit, quod mediae differentiae ex differentiis contrariis componuntur; dicens, quod differentiae primae contrariae sunt disgregativum visus et congregativum. Unde istae differentiae sunt illud primum, ex quo componimus omnes species generis. Sed, si aliqua contraria non essent in eodem genere, quaerendum restaret ex quo eorum media constituerentur. Sed in his quae sunt in eodem genere, non est difficile hoc accipere; quia necesse est omnia quae sunt in eodem genere aut esse incomposita, idest simplicia, aut componi ex incompositis, idest simplicibus, quae sunt in genere illo. Contraria enim sunt incomposita ex invicem; quia nec album componitur ex nigro, neque nigrum ex albo, neque congregativum ex disgregativo, neque e converso. Quare oportet quod contraria sint principia, quia simplicia in quolibet genere sunt principia.	2109. And the primary (885). Then he shows that intermediate differences are composed of contrary differences. He says that primary contrary differences are those which can expand and contract sight, so that these differences constitute a primary type of which we compose every species of a genus. But if certain contraries did not belong to the same genus, we would still have to consider of which of these contraries the intermediates would be composed. This is not difficult to understand in the case of those things which belong to the same genus, because all things belonging to the same genus “must either be incomposite,” i.e., simple things, or they must be composed “of incomposites,” i.e., of simple things, which belong to the same genus. For contraries are not composed of each other, because white is not composed of black, nor black of white; nor is the contracting composed of the expanding or the reverse. Hence contraries must be principles, because the simple things in any genus are the principles of that genus.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 14 Sed de mediis oportet dicere, quod aut omnia componantur ex simplicibus, idest ex contrariis, aut nullum; quia eadem ratio videtur de omnibus. Sed non potest dici, quod nullum: quia aliquod est medium quod componitur ex contrariis: ex quo contingit quod transmutatio primo pervenit ad media quam ad extrema. Hoc autem sic apparet: quia illud in quod primo pervenit transmutatio, est magis et minus respectu utriusque extremorum. Prius enim aliquid fit minus album et minus nigrum, quam totaliter album et totaliter nigrum: et hoc ipsum quod est minus album, quam album simpliciter, et minus nigrum quam nigrum simpliciter. Est etiam magis accedens ad album quam nigrum simpliciter; et magis accedens ad nigrum quam album simpliciter. Et sic patet, quod illud in quod primo venit transmutatio, est magis et minus respectu utriusque extremorum. Et propter hoc oportet quod sit medium contrariorum. Et sic sequitur quod omnia media sint composita ex contrariis. Nam idem medium quod est magis et minus respectu utriusque extremorum, oportet esse compositum ex extremis simplicibus, respectu quorum dicitur magis et minus. Et quia non sunt aliqua extrema priora contrariis in eodem genere, relinquitur quod duae differentiae contrariae constitutivae mediorum sint compositae ex contrariis differentiis. Et ita media erunt ex contrariis. Quod patet, quia omnia inferiora, idest omnes species generis, tam contraria quam media, sunt ex primis contrariis, scilicet differentiis.	2110. But it is necessary to say that all intermediates are composed either “of simple things,” i.e., of contraries, or they are not, because the same reasoning seems to apply to all. But it cannot be said that they are not, because there is an intermediate which is composed of contraries, and according to this it is possible for change to first affect intermediates before it affects extremes. This becomes evident as follows: that in which change first occurs admits of difference in degree in relation to the two extremes; for something becomes slightly white or slightly black before it becomes completely white or completely black; and it is what is less white that becomes plain white, and what is less black that becomes plain black. And it also comes closer to white than to plain black, and closer to black than to plain white. Thus it is evident that the thing which change first affects admits of difference in degree in relation to both extremes; and for this reason contraries must have an intermediate. It follows, then, that all intermediates are composed of contraries; for the same intermediate which is more and less in relation to both extremes must be composed of both unqualified extremes, in reference to which it is said to be more and less. And since there are no extremes which are prior to contraries in the same genus, it follows that the two contrary differences which constitute intermediates are composed of contrary differences. Thus intermediates must come from contraries. This is evident because “all inferiors,” i.e., all species of a genus, both contraries and intermediates, are composed of primary contraries, i.e., differences.
lib. 10 l. 9 n. 15 Deinde cum dicit quod quidem concludit epilogando quod supra de mediis dictum est. Et est litera plana.	2111. Hence it is evident (886). He brings his discussion to a close by summarizing what has been said above about intermediates. This part of the text is clear.