Authors/Thomas Aquinas/physics/L4/lect21

Lecture 21 The meaning of “now” and related terms

Latin	English
	Lecture 21 The meaning of “now” and related terms
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 1 Postquam philosophus ostendit quomodo se habeat tempus ad ea quae sunt in tempore, hic ostendit quomodo per comparationem ad nunc diversimode aliqua secundum tempus nominantur. Et circa hoc duo facit: primo ponit significationem ipsius nunc; secundo quorumdam aliorum quae determinantur secundum nunc, ibi: ipsum autem tunc et cetera. Circa primum duo facit: primo ponit propriam et principalem significationem ipsius nunc; secundo ponit secundariam significationem, ibi: aliud autem et cetera.	612. After showing how time is related to things that exist in time, the Philosopher here shows how, in virtue of their relations to the “now,” certain words derived various meanings with respect to time. About this he does two things: First he explains the meaning of “now”; Secondly, the meaning of certain other words that are determined by the “now, “ at no. 615. As to the first be does two things: First be gives the proper and principal meaning of “now”; Secondly, be gives a secondary meaning, at no. 614.
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 2 Circa primum tria dicit de nunc. Quorum primum est, quod nunc continuat tempus praeteritum futuro, inquantum est terminus temporis, principium quidem futuri, finis autem praeteriti: licet hoc non sit sic manifestum in nunc, sicut in puncto. Nam punctum stans est; et ideo potest bis accipi, semel ut principium et semel ut finis: quod non accidit in nunc, ut supra dictum est. Secundo ibi: dividit autem potentia etc., dicit quod tempus etiam dividitur secundum nunc, sicut et linea dividitur secundum punctum. Sed tamen nunc dividit tempus inquantum consideratur ut multa in potentia: prout scilicet accipitur seorsum ut principium huius temporis, et seorsum ut finis alterius. Et inquantum sic accipitur, accipitur ut alterum et alterum nunc: sed secundum quod accipitur ut copulans tempus et continuans, accipitur ut idem. Et hoc manifestat per simile in lineis mathematicis, in quibus magis est manifestum. Non enim in lineis mathematicis punctum quod signatur in medio lineae, semper intelligitur ut idem: quia secundum quod dividitur linea, intelligitur aliud punctum quod est ultimum unius lineae, et aliud secundum quod est ultimum alterius; quia lineae secundum quod sunt divisae actu, intelliguntur ut contiguae, contigua autem sunt quorum ultima sunt simul. Sed secundum quod punctum continuat partes lineae, sic est unum et idem: quia continua sunt quorum terminus est idem. Et sic est etiam de nunc respectu temporis: quia uno modo potest accipi ut divisio temporis secundum potentiam; alio modo secundum quod est terminus communis duorum temporum, uniens et continuans ea. Tertio ibi: est autem idem etc., dicit quod nunc dividens et continuans tempus est unum et idem subiecto, sed differt ratione, ut ex dictis patet. Uno igitur modo sic dicitur nunc.	613. In regard to the first be says three things about “now.” The first of these [438 222 a10] is that the “now” joins past time to the future, insofar as it is the boundary of time—the beginning of the future and the end of the past, although this is not so evident in the “now” as in a point. For a point is stationary and therefore can be considered twice: once as a beginning, and once as an end. But this does not occur with the “now,” as was said above. Secondly [439 222 a14], he says that time is divided according to the “now” as a line is divided according to the point. But yet the “now” divides time insofar as it, the “now,” is considered to be many in potency, i.e., as it is, namely, taken separately as the beginning of this time, and separately as the end of that time. And insofar as it is taken in this way, the “now” is taken as other and other; but insofar as it is taken as linking time and giving it continuity, it to taken as one and the same. And he shows this from a similar situation in mathematical lines, in which it is more evident. For in mathematical lines the point in the middle of a line is not always taken as the same: for insofar as the line is divided, there is understood one point which is the end of one line, and one point which is the end of the other. For lines, insofar as they are actually divided, are considered as contiguous—and contiguous things are those whose boundaries are together. But insofar as the point continues the parts of the line, it is one and the same—for continuous things are those whose boundary is the same. And this is the situation with the “now” in respect of time: for it can be taken in one way as potentially dividing time; in another way, as the common boundary of two times, uniting them, and making them continuous. Thirdly [440 222 a19], he says that the “now” that divides and continues time is one and the same as to subject, though differing in conception, as the foregoing has made clear. So much for the first meaning of “now.”
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 3 Deinde cum dicit: aliud autem, etc., ponit secundariam significationem ipsius nunc. Et dicit quod alio modo dicitur nunc, non terminus temporis continuans praeteritum futuro, sed ipsum tempus propinquum praesenti nunc, sive sit praeteritum sive sit futurum: sicut dicimus veniet nunc, quia veniet hodie, et veniet nunc, quia venit hodie. Sed non dicimus quod bellum Troianum sit factum nunc, neque quod diluvium factum sit nunc: quia licet totum tempus sit continuum, non tamen est propinquum praesenti nunc.	614. Then [441 222 a21] he gives a secondary meaning of “now,” saying that “now” has another meaning, for it can be taken, not as the boundary of time continuing the past with the future, but as the time near to the present “now,” whether that time is past or future, as when we say, “He will come not,” because he will come today, or when we say, “He has come now,” because he came today. But we do not say that the Trojan war has happened “now,” nor that the Flood took place “now,” because, although the whole of the time is continuous [with the present] nevertheless it is not close to the present “now.”
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 4 Deinde cum dicit: ipsum autem tunc etc., exponit quaedam quae determinantur per nunc. Et primo quid significet ipsum tunc. Circa quod duo facit: primo ponit significationem eius; secundo movet quaestionem, ibi: si vero neque tempus et cetera. Dicit ergo primo quod hoc quod dico tunc, significat tempus determinatum per aliquod prius nunc, sive propinquum sive remotum. Possumus enim dicere quod tunc destructa est Troia, et tunc factum est diluvium. Oportet enim quod id quod dicitur factum tunc, includatur ad aliquod nunc vel instans praecedens. Oportebit enim dicere quod sit aliquod tempus determinatae quantitatis ab hoc tempore praesenti in illud nunc, quod erat in praeterito. Et sic patet quod hoc quod dico tunc, differt a secunda significatione nunc in duobus: quia tunc semper est ad praeteritum, et indifferenter se habet ad propinquum et remotum; sed nunc se habet ad propinquum, sed indifferenter ad praeteritum et futurum.	615. Then [442 222 a24] he explains certain things that are determined by the “now.” And first, what “then” signifies. About this he does two things: First he gives its meaning; Secondly, he raises a difficulty, at no. 616. He says therefore first (442) that “then” signifies a time determined by some previous “now,” whether near or remote. For we can say that Troy was destroyed “then,” and that the Deluge took place “then.” For what is said to have taken place “then” must be included between some preceding “now” or instant [and the present]. For it will be necessary to say that there is a time period of definite quantity from the present time to that “now” which was in the past. In this wise it to evident that “then” differs from the second meaning of “now” in two ways: first, because “then” always refers to the past and it matters not whether it to the near past or the remote past; but “now” refers to the near, and it matters not whether it be past or future.
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 5 Deinde cum dicit: si vero neque tempus est etc., movet quandam dubitationem ex praemissis, et solvit eam. Dixerat enim quod tempus quod dicitur tunc, includitur intra praeteritum nunc et praesens: unde omne tempus quod dicitur tunc oportet esse finitum: sed non est aliquod tempus, quod non possit dici tunc: ergo omne tempus erit finitum. Sed omne tempus finitum deficit: videtur ergo dicendum quod tempus deficiat. Sed si semper est motus, et tempus est numerus motus, sequitur quod tempus non deficiat. Oportebit igitur dicere, si omne tempus est finitum, quod vel semper sit aliud et aliud tempus, vel quod idem tempus multoties reiteretur. Et hoc oportet esse in tempore, sicut est in motu. Si enim unus sit semper et idem motus, oportebit unum et idem tempus esse. Si autem non est unus et idem motus, non erit unum et idem tempus.	616. Then [443 222 a28] he raises a difficulty in the light of the foregoing and solves it. For he had said that the time which is called “then” is included within a past “now” and the present: hence all time called “then” must be finite. But there is no time which cannot be called “then.” Therefore all time is finite. Now all finite time runs out. It seems therefore that one must say that time runs out. But if motion is always and time is the measure of motion, it follows that time will not run out. Therefore, we shall be forced to say, if all time is finite, either that time is always other and other, or that the same time is repeated over and over. And this situation must exist in time just as it is in notion. For if there is some eternally one and the same motion, then there will have to be one and the same time; but if there is not one and the same motion, there will not be one and the same time.
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 6 Secundum igitur opinionem eius, motus nunquam incepit, neque deficiet, ut in octavo patebit; et ita reiteratur quidem unus et idem motus specie, sed non numero. Non enim eadem est circulatio quae nunc est, cum illa quae fuit, numero, sed specie. Et tamen totus motus est unus continuitate, quia una circulatio continuatur alteri, ut in octavo probabitur. Et similiter oportet esse de tempore sicut de motu. Unde consequenter ostendit quod tempus nunquam deficiet. Patet enim ex praemissis, quod nunc est principium et finis, sed non respectu eiusdem; sed finis respectu praeteriti, et principium respectu futuri. Unde sic se habet de nunc, sicut se habet de circulo, in quo concavum et convexum sunt idem subiecto, sed differunt ratione per respectum ad diversa. Nam convexum circuli attenditur secundum comparationem ad exteriora, concavum autem per respectum ad interiora. Et quia nihil est accipere de tempore nisi nunc, ut supra dictum est, sequitur quod tempus semper sit in principio et in fine. Et propter hoc tempus videtur esse alterum et alterum: quia nunc non est principium et finis eiusdem temporis, sed diversorum temporum; alioquin opposita inessent eidem secundum idem. Principium enim et finis habent oppositas rationes: si ergo idem esset principium et finis respectu eiusdem, opposita inessent eidem secundum idem. Ulterius concludit ex praemissis, quod quia nunc est principium et finis temporis, tempus nunquam deficiet: quia tempus non potest accipi sine nunc, ut supra dictum est, et nunc est principium temporis: unde tempus semper est in sui principio. Quod autem est in sui principio non deficit: unde tempus non deficiet. Et eadem ratione potest probari quod tempus non incepit secundum quod nunc est finis temporis. Sed haec ratio procedit supposito quod motus semper sit, ut ipse dicit. Hoc enim supposito, necesse est dicere quod quodlibet nunc temporis sit principium et finis. Si autem dicatur quod motus incepit aut finietur, sequetur quod aliquod nunc erit principium temporis et non finis, et aliquod erit finis et non principium, sicut et in linea accidit. Si enim esset linea infinita, quodlibet punctum signatum in ea, esset principium et finis. In linea autem finita est accipere aliquod punctum, quod est principium tantum vel finis tantum. Sed de hoc magis inquiretur in octavo.	617. According to his opinion, as will be clear in Book VIII, motion never had a beginning, and will never end. Thus one and the same motion is being repeated, not numerically but specifically. For it is not numerically the same revolution that is taking place now and which took place in the past, but it is specifically the same one. Nevertheless, the whole notion is one in continuity, because one revolution is continuous with the next, as will be proved in Book VIII. And what was said of motion must also apply to time. From this he shows that time will never fail. For it is evident from the foregoing that the “now” is both a beginning and an end, although not in relation to the same thing; but it is an end with respect to the past and a beginning with respect to the future. Accordingly, the situation with respect to the “now” is like that of the circle, in which its concavity and convexity are the same thing in reality, but differ according as they are related to diverse things. For convexity is had in a circle with respect to things outside it, and concavity with respect to things inside it. And because nothing of time can be taken but the “now” (as was said above) it follows that time is always at a beginning and at an end. And for this reason time seems to be other and other, for the “now” is not the beginning and end of the same time, but of different times; otherwise, opposite things would be true of the same thing according to the same aspect. For “beginning” and “end” have opposite notions; consequently, if the same thing were a beginning and an end with respect to the same, opposites would exist in the same thing according to the same aspect. He further concludes from the foregoing that since the “now” is both a beginning and an end of time, time will never fail: for time cannot be understood without a “now,” and the “now” is the beginning of a time: hence time is always existing in a beginning of itself. But what is at its beginning is not failing; therefore time will not fail. By the same reasoning it can be proved that time did not commence from the point of view of the “now” which is the end of time. But this reasoning proceeds on the supposition that motion is always, as he says. On this supposition, one would have to say that any “now” of time is a beginning and an end. But if it be said that motion had a beginning, or that it will cease, it follows that some “now” will be a beginning of a period of time and not an end, and some “now” will be an end but not a beginning, as happens also in a line. For if there were an infinite line, any point designated in it would be a beginning and an and. But if the line is finite, some point in it is a beginning only, or an end only. But this will be investigated more in detail in Book VIII.
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 7 Deinde cum dicit: ipsum autem iam etc., ostendit quid significet hoc quod dico iam; et habet eandem significationem quam habet nunc, secundo modo acceptum. Illud enim dicitur iam, quod est propinquum praesenti indivisibili nunc, sive sit pars futuri, sive sit pars praeteriti. Pars quidem futuri, sicut cum dico, quando ibit? Iam; quia scilicet tempus in quo est hoc futurum, propinquum est. Pars autem praeteriti, sicut cum quaeritur, quando vadis? Et respondetur iam ivi. Sed de iis quae sunt procul, non dicimus iam; sicut non dicimus quod Troia iam sit destructa, quia hoc est multum remotum a praesenti nunc.	618. Then [444 222 b7] he shows what is meant by the words “presently” or “just”; and that they have the same meaning of “now.” For “presently” and “just” refer to what is near the present indivisible “now”, whether it is part of the future or part of the past. It refers to a part of the future, when I say: “When will he leave?” “Presently”—because the time in which this will take place is close. It refers to the past when I say “When are you going?” and it is answered,—“I have just gone”. However in regard to events that are distant, we do not say “presently” or “just”; for example, we do not say that Troy has “just” been destroyed, because this is very remote from the present “now.”
lib. 4 l. 21 n. 8 Deinde cum dicit: ipsum autem modo prope etc., exponit quaedam alia ad tempus pertinentia. Et dicit quod hoc quod dico modo, significat quod praeteritum est propinquum praesenti nunc: sicut si quaeratur, quando venit talis? Respondetur modo, si tempus praeteritum sit proximum praesenti nunc. Sed olim dicimus, quando est remotum a praesenti nunc in praeterito. Repente autem aliquid fieri dicitur, quando tempus in quo fit, est insensibile propter parvitatem.	619. Then [445 222 b12] he explains certain other words referring to time. And he says that “just now” [modo] signifies that a period of the past is near the present “now”, as when, if it is asked, “When did so-and-so come?” the answer is “just now,” if the past time is very close to the present. But we say “long ago”, when the time past is far from the present. Finally, we say that something occurs “suddenly”, when the time in which it takes place is imperceptibly small.