Authors/Thomas Aquinas/physics/L4/lect4

Lecture 4 Prerequisites to determining the truth about place

Latin	English
	Lecture 4 Prerequisites to determining the truth about place.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 1 Postquam philosophus inquisivit disputative an locus sit et quid sit, hic accedit ad determinandum veritatem. Et primo praemittit quaedam quae sunt necessaria ad considerationem veritatis; secundo determinat veritatem, ibi: quid autem forte et cetera. Circa primum tria facit: primo ostendit quot modis dicitur aliquid esse in aliquo; secundo inquirit utrum aliquid possit esse in seipso, ibi: dubitabit autem aliquis etc., tertio solvit quaedam prius dubitata, ibi: quod autem Zeno opposuit et cetera.	434. After inquiring dialectically into the existence and nature of place, the Philosopher now proceeds to the task of determining the truth. First he lays down certain things necessary to the consideration of the truth: Secondly, he determines the truth, at no. 445. As to the first he does three things: First he points out the ways in which one thing is said to be in another; Secondly, he asks whether anything can be in itself, at no. 437; Thirdly, he settles some difficulties previously raised, at no. 443.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 2 Ponit ergo octo modos quibus aliquid in aliquo dicitur esse. Quorum primus est, sicut digitus dicitur esse in manu, et universaliter quaecumque alia pars in suo toto. Secundus modus est, prout totum dicitur esse in partibus. Et quia iste modus non est adeo consuetus sicut primus, ad eius manifestationem subiungit quod totum non est praeter partes, et sic oportet ut intelligatur esse in partibus. Tertius modus est, sicut homo dicitur esse in animali, vel quaecumque alia species in suo genere. Quartus modus est, sicut genus dicitur esse in speciebus. Et ne iste modus extraneus videatur, rationem innuit quare hoc dicit: nam genus est pars definitionis speciei, et etiam differentia; unde quodammodo et genus et differentia dicuntur esse in specie sicut partes in toto. Quintus modus est, sicut sanitas dicitur esse in calidis et frigidis, quorum contemperantia constituit sanitatem; et universaliter quaecumque alia forma in materia vel subiecto, sive sit accidentalis sive substantialis. Sextus modus, sicut res Graecorum dicuntur esse in rege Graeciae, et universaliter omne quod movetur est in primo motivo. Per hunc etiam modum dicere possum aliquid esse in me, quia est in potestate mea ut faciam illud. Septimo modo dicitur aliquid esse in aliquo, sicut in quodam optimo diligibili et desiderabili, et universaliter sicut in fine. Et per hunc modum dicitur esse cor alicuius in aliqua re quam desiderat et amat. Octavo modo dicitur esse aliquid in aliquo sicut in vase, et universaliter sicut locatum in loco. Videtur autem praetermittere modum quo aliquid est in aliquo sicut in tempore: sed hic reducitur ad hunc octavum modum; nam sicut locus est mensura mobilis, ita tempus est mensura motus.	435. He lists [299 210 a14] eight ways in which something is said to be in something. The first of these is the way in which a finger is said to be in the hand and in general how any part is in its whole. The second way is as the whole is said to be in the parts. And because this way is not so customary as the first, he explains it by adding that the whole is not something outside the parts, and thus must be understood as existing in the parts. The third way is as “man” is said to be in “animal,” and any species in its genus. The fourth way is as the genus is said to be in the species. And lest this way seem out of place, he gives a reason for mentioning it: the genus is part of the definition of the species as is the difference; hence in some way both the genus and the difference are said to be in the species as parts in the whole. The fifth way is as health is said to be in hot and cold things, the balance between which constitutes health; and in general as any other form is in matter or a subject, whether it be an accidental or a substantial form. The sixth way is as the affairs of the Greeks are said to exist in the king of Greece, and generally as everything that is moved is in the first mover. According to this way, I can say that something is in me, because it is in my power to do it. In the seventh way something is said to be in something as in something supremely loveable and desirable, and generally as in an end. in this way someone’s heart is said to be in what he desires and loves. Finally in an eighth way something is said to be in something as in a vessel, and in general as a thing in place is in its place. He seems to have skipped the way in which something is in something as in time. But this is reduced to the eighth way. For just as place is the measure of the mobile thing, so time is the measure of motion.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 3 Dicit autem quod secundum hunc octavum modum maxime proprie dicitur esse aliquid in aliquo. Unde oportet secundum regulam quam tradit in IV et V Metaphys. quod omnes alii modi reducantur aliquo modo ad hunc modum quo aliquid est in aliquo sicut in loco. Quod sic patet. Locatum enim continetur, sive includitur a loco, et in eo habet quietem et fixionem. Propinquissime igitur ad hunc modum pars dicitur esse in toto integrali, in quo actu includitur: unde etiam infra dicetur quod locatum est sicut pars separata, et pars est sicut quoddam locatum coniunctum. Totum autem quod est secundum rationem, ad similitudinem huius totius sumitur: unde consequenter dicitur id quod est in ratione alicuius, esse in eo; ut animal in homine. Contingit autem sicut partem totius integralis includi in toto secundum actum, ita partem totius universalis includi in toto secundum potentiam: nam genus ad plura se extendit in potentia quam species, licet species habeat plura in actu: unde consequenter dicitur esse etiam species in genere. Et quia sicut species continetur in potentia generis, ita forma in potentia materiae, ulterius dicitur forma esse in materia. Et quia totum habet rationem formae respectu partium, ut dictum est in secundo; consequenter etiam totum dicitur esse in partibus. Sicut autem forma includitur sub potentia passiva materiae, ita effectus includitur sub potentia activa agentis: unde et dicitur aliquid esse in primo motivo. Deinde autem manifestum est quod appetitus quiescit in bono desiderato et amato, et in eo figitur, sicut et locatum in loco: unde etiam dicitur affectus amantis esse in amato. Et sic patet quod omnes alii modi derivantur ab ultimo, qui est maxime proprius.	436. Then he says that it is according to the eighth way that something is in a very proper sense said to be in something. Hence, according to the rule given in Metaphysics IV and V, all the other modes must somehow be reduced to this eighth way, according to which, something is in something as in a place. This is done in the following way. The thing in place is contained or included by its place and has rest and it has rest and immobility therein. Therefore the way closest to this one is that in which a part is said to be in the integral whole in which it is actually included. Accordingly, it will be said below that a thing in place is as a “separated” part, and a part as a “conjoined” thing in place. The whole which is according to reason is like this whole; hence it is said that what is in the notion of something is in it, as “animal” in “man.” Now just as it happens that the part of an integral whole is enclosed in a whole according to act, so the part of a universal whole is enclosed in a whole according to potency for the genus extends to more things potentially than the species does, although the species may have more elements in act. Consequently, species is also said to be in the genus. And because, just as the species is contained in the potency of the genus, so form is contained in the potency of matter, it is further said that form is in the matter. And because the whole has the notion of form in relation to the parts, as was said in Book II, consequently the whole is also said to be in the parts. But just as form is enclosed under the passive potency of matter, so the effect is enclosed under the active potency of the agent. Whence it is that something is said to be in a first mover. Finally, it is clear that the appetite rests in the good it desires and loves and is, indeed, fixed in it, just as the thing in place is fixed in place. Hence the affection of the lover is said to be in the thing loved. And thus it is evident that all the other ways are derived from the last, which is the most proper.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 4 Deinde cum dicit: dubitabit autem aliquis etc., inquirit utrum aliquid possit esse in seipso: nam Anaxagoras supra dixit infinitum esse in seipso. Primo ergo movet dubitationem: utrum scilicet aliquid unum et idem possit esse in seipso, vel nihil; sed omnia vel nusquam sint, vel sint in aliquo alio.	437. Then [302 210 a33] he asks whether anything can be in itself, for Anaxagoras said above that the infinite exists in itself. Therefore, he first raises the question: whether one and the same thing can be in itself; or whether nothing can, but all things either never are or are in something else.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 5 Secundo, ibi: dupliciter autem hoc est etc., solvit. Et primo ostendit quomodo possit esse aliquid in seipso; secundo quomodo non possit, ibi: primum autem non contingit et cetera. Dicit ergo primo quod dupliciter potest intelligi aliquid esse in seipso: uno modo primo et per se; alio modo secundum alterum, idest secundum partem. Et isto secundo modo potest dici aliquid esse in seipso. Cum enim alicuius totius duae partes ita se habeant quod una sit in quo est aliquid, et alia sit quod est in illa, sequitur quod totum dicatur et in quo est ratione unius partis, et quod est in hoc ratione alterius: et sic totum dicetur esse in seipso. Invenimus enim quod aliquid dicitur de aliquo secundum partem, sicut aliquis dicitur albus quia superficies eius est alba, et homo dicitur sciens quia scientia est in parte ratiocinativa. Si igitur accipiatur amphora plena vino sicut quoddam totum cuius partes sunt amphora et vinum, neutra partium eius erit in seipsa, idest neque amphora neque vinum, sed hoc totum, scilicet amphora vini, erit in seipsa, inquantum utrumque est pars eius, scilicet et vinum quod est in amphora, et amphora in qua est vinum. Per hunc igitur modum contingit aliquid idem esse in seipso.	438. Secondly [302 210 a33] he answers this; First he shows how something can be in itself; Secondly, how it cannot, at no. 439. He says first, therefore [301 210 a26] that something may be understood to be in itself in two ways: in one way, primarily and per se; in another way, in relation to something else, i.e., in relation to a part. And it is in this second way that something may be said to be in itself. For when two parts of some whole are so related that one part is that in which the other exists and the other is that which is in the first, it follows that the whole is both that “in which” something exists (by reason of one part) and that which is “in this” (by reason of the other), and thus is the whole said to be in itself. For we observe that something is said of something according to a part, for example, someone is called “white” because his surface is white, and a man is called “knowing” because science is in his rational part. If therefore we take a jug full of wine as a certain “whole” whose parts are jug and wine, neither of the parts will exist in itself, i.e., neither the jug nor the wine, but this whole, which is a jug of wine, will be in itself inasmuch as each is a part of it, i.e., both the wine which is in the jug and the jug in which the wine is. It is in this way, therefore, that one and the same thing can be in itself.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 6 Deinde cum dicit: primum autem non contingit etc., ostendit quod non contingit aliquid esse primo in seipso. Et primo proponit quod intendit, distinguens utrumque modum quo aliquid est in seipso, et quo non est; secundo probat propositum, ibi: neque igitur inductive considerantibus et cetera. Dicit ergo quod non contingit aliquid esse primo in seipso. Et manifestat quid sit aliquid esse primo in seipso, per oppositum. Album enim dicitur esse in corpore, quia superficies est in corpore: unde non est primo in corpore, sed in superficie. Et similiter scientia primo dicitur esse in anima, non autem in homine, in quo est per animam. Et secundum hoc, scilicet secundum animam et superficiem, sunt appellationes quibus nominatur homo albus vel sciens, cum anima et superficies sint sicut partes in homine: non quod superficies sit pars, sed quia se habet ad modum partis, inquantum est aliquid hominis, ut terminus corporis. Si autem accipiatur vinum et amphora seorsum ab invicem, non sunt partes: unde neutri competit esse in seipso. Sed cum sunt simul, utpote cum amphora est plena vino, propter hoc quod et amphora et vinum sunt partes, idem erit in seipso, ut expositum est, non primo, sed per partes: sicut album non primo est in homine, sed per corpus, et in corpore per superficiem. In superficie autem non est per aliquid aliud: unde primo dicitur esse in superficie. Nec est idem id in quo est aliquid primo, et quod est in eo, sicut album et superficies: quia altera sunt secundum speciem superficies et album, et alia est natura et potentia utriusque.	439. Then [302 210 a33] he shows that nothing can be primarily in itself. First he proposes what he intends, distinguishing both the way in which something is in itself and the way in which it is not; Secondly, he proves his proposition, at no. 440. He says, therefore, that there is no case of anything being primarily in itself. And he makes clear what it is for something to be primarily in itself by citing an example of the opposite. For something white is said to be in a body, because the surface is in the body: hence the white is nor primarily in the body but in the surface. In like manner, science is said to be primarily in the soul, and not in the man, in whom science exists by reason of the soul. And it is according to this, i.e., according to the soul and the surface, that the appellations whereby a man is called “white” or “knowing” are verified, since the soul and the surface are as parts of man—not that the surface is a part, but it is like a part, inasmuch as it is something of the man, as The boundary of his body. Now, if wine and jug are taken as separated one from the other, they are not parts; hence it belongs to neither of them to exist in itself. But when they are together, as when a jug is full of wine, then because both jug and wine are parts, the same thing will be existing in itself (as was explained above), not primarily but through its parts, just as white is not primarily in the man but is there through the body, and in the body through the surface. But it is not in the surface through anything else; hence it is said to be in the surface primarily. Nor is that in which something exists primarily, and that which is in it, the same, as in the case of white and surface. For surface and white are specifically different, and the nature and potency of each is different.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 7 Deinde cum dicit: neque igitur inductive etc., ostensa differentia inter hoc quod est esse primo in aliquo et non primo, ostendit iam quod nihil est primo in seipso. Et primo ostendit quod non sit aliquid primo in seipso per se; secundo quod non sit aliquid primo in seipso per accidens, ibi: at vero neque secundum accidens et cetera. Primum ostendit dupliciter, scilicet inductive et ratione. Dicit ergo primo quod considerando per inductionem in singulis modis supra determinatis quibus dicitur aliquid esse in aliquo, apparet quod nihil est in seipso primo et per se: neque enim aliquid est totum sui ipsius, neque pars neque genus, et sic de aliis. Ponit autem hoc concludendo ex praemissis, quia sicut manifestum est in albo et in superficie, quae se habent ut forma et materia, quod sunt aliud secundum speciem et virtutem, ita etiam potest in omnibus aliis modis considerari.	440. Then [303 210 b8] having pointed out the difference between being primarily in something and not being primarily in something, he now shows that nothing is primarily in itself. First he shows that nothing is primarily in itself per se; Secondly, per accidens, at no. 442. And he explains the first point in two ways: namely, inductively and with an argument. He says therefore first, that by considering inductively all the ways determined above in which something is said to be in itself, it is found that nothing exists in itself primarily and per se: for nothing is the totality of itself, [i.e., in itself as whole in part?], nor as part [in whole?] as genus [in species?], and so on. He lays this down by concluding from what has gone before, because just as it is clear in the case of the white and of the surface (which are related as form and matter) that they differ both in species and in power, the same thing can be considered in all the other modes.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 8 Deinde cum dicit: et ratione manifestum est etc., probat idem ratione. Et dicit manifestum esse per rationem quod impossibile est aliquid esse primo et per se in seipso. Si enim aliquid primo et per se sit in seipso, oportet quod eidem et secundum idem conveniat ratio eius in quo est aliquid, et ratio eius quod est in eo. Unde oportet quod utrumque, scilicet tam continens quam contentum, sit utrumque; ut puta quod amphora sit vas et vinum, et vinum sit vinum et amphora, si primo et per se contingit aliquid esse in seipso. Unde hoc posito, scilicet quod vinum sit amphora et vinum, et amphora sit vinum et amphora, si quis dicat quod alterum eorum sit in altero, ut puta vinum in amphora, sequitur quod vinum recipiatur in amphora non inquantum vinum est, sed inquantum vinum est illa, scilicet amphora. Quare, si esse in amphora primo et per se convenit amphorae ex eo quod ponitur aliquid primo et per se in seipso esse, sequitur quod nihil possit dici esse in amphora, nisi inquantum ipsum est amphora. Et sic, si vinum dicatur esse in amphora, sequitur quod esse in amphora competit vino, non secundum quod vinum est vinum, sed secundum quod vinum est amphora. Et eadem ratione, si amphora recipiat vinum, recipiet ipsum non inquantum amphora est amphora, sed inquantum amphora est vinum. Hoc autem est inconveniens. Unde manifestum est, quod secundum alteram rationem est id in quo, et quod in hoc. Alia est enim ratio eius quod est in aliquo, et eius in quo est aliquid. Non potest ergo per se et primo aliquid esse in seipso.	441. Then [304 210 b9] he proves the same thing with an argument and says that it is clear by reasoning that it is impossible for anything to be primarily and per se in itself. For if there be anything such, necessarily the same thing, in the same way, will have the notion both of that in which something is, and that which is in it. Hence, each would have to be both the container and the content; for example, the jug would be the vessel and the wine, and the wine both the wine and jug, if something could be primarily and per se in itself. Now on this assumption (namely, that the wine is both the jug and wine, and the jug both wine and jug), if anyone were to say that either is in the other, for example, that the wine is in the jug, it would follow that the wine is received into the jug not inasmuch it is wine, but inasmuch as wine is the jug. Wherefore, if to be in the jug primarily and per se is a property of the jug (on the assumption that something is primarily and per se in itself), it follows that nothing can be said to be in the jug except inasmuch as that something is the jug. And so, if the wine is said to be in the jug, it follows that to be in the jug belongs to the wine, not inasmuch as it is wine, but inasmuch as the wine is the jug. For the same reason, if the jug receives the wine, it will receive it not inasmuch as the jug is jug but inasmuch as the jug is wine. Now this is unacceptable. Hence, it is clear that it is under different aspects that something is “that in which” and “that which is in.” For it is one thing to be that which is in something, and another to be that in which something is. Consequently, nothing can be primarily and per se in itself.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 9 Deinde cum dicit: at vero neque secundum accidens etc., ostendit quod non sit aliquid primo in seipso etiam secundum accidens. Dicitur enim aliquid esse in aliquo secundum accidens, quando est in eo propter aliquid aliud in eo existens; ut si dicamus hominem esse in mari, quia est in navi, quae est in mari: in hac tamen primo dicitur esse, idest non propter partem. Si igitur contingat aliquid esse in seipso primo, non per se quidem, sed per accidens, sequitur quod sit in seipso propter hoc quod aliquid aliud sit in ipso. Et sic sequitur quod duo corpora sint in eodem, scilicet illud corpus quod est in eo, et ipsummet quod est in seipso. Sic enim amphora erit in seipsa per accidens, si ipsa amphora, cuius natura est ut recipiat aliquid, sit in seipsa, et iterum illud cuius est receptivum, scilicet vinum: ergo in amphora erit et amphora et vinum, si propter hoc quod vinum est in amphora, sequitur amphoram esse in seipsa: et sic duo corpora essent in eodem. Sic igitur patet quod impossibile est aliquid esse primo in seipso. Sciendum tamen quod aliquando dicitur aliquid esse in seipso, non secundum intellectum affirmativum, sicut hic reprobat philosophus, sed secundum intellectum negativum, prout esse in seipso non significat nisi non esse in alio.	442. Then [305 210 b18] he shows that nothing exists primarily in itself even according to accident. For something is said to be in something according to accident, when it is in it on account of something else existing in it; as, for example, when we say that a man is in the sea because he is in a boat which is in the sea: he is nevertheless said to be in the boat primarily, i.e., not according to a part. If therefore something could be in itself primarily, though not per se but per accidens, it would be in itself on account of something else being in it. And so it follows that two bodies are in the same thing; namely, the body which is in something and that same thing as existing in itself. In this way a jug will be in itself per accidens, if the jug itself, whose nature it is to receive something, is in itself, and again that which it receives, i.e., the wine. Therefore, in the jug will exist both jug and wine, if, because the wine is in the jug it follows that the jug is in itself; and so two bodies would be in the same. Consequently, it is clearly impossible for anything to be primarily in itself. Notice, however, that sometimes something is said to be “in itself” not according to an affirmation but according to a negation, inasmuch as to be in itself signifies nothing more than not to be in something else.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 10 Deinde cum dicit: quod autem Zeno etc., solvit quaedam dubitata. Et primo removet rationem Zenonis, quae inducebatur ad probandum quod locus non sit, per hoc quia si est, oportet quod locus non sit, per hoc quia si est, oportet quod sit in alio, et sic itur in infinitum. Sed hoc, ut dicit, non est difficile solvere postquam iam sunt distincti modi quibus aliquid dicitur esse in aliquo. Nihil enim prohibet dicere quod locus est in aliquo: non tamen est in illo sicut in loco, sed per quendam alium modum, sicut forma est in materia vel accidens in subiecto; inquantum scilicet locus est terminus continentis. Et hoc est quod subdit: sicut sanitas est in calidis ut habitus, et calor in corpore ut passio vel accidens. Unde non necesse est quod procedatur in infinitum.	443. Then [306 210 b22] he settles certain doubts. First he destroys Zeno’s reason which was appealed to as proof that place does not exist on the assumption that, if it did, it must exist in something else and so on ad infinitum. But this, as he says, is not difficult to answer after one knows the various ways in which something is said to be “in” something else. For there is nothing to prevent our saying that place is in something: for while it is not in something as in a place, it is in something in some other way, as form is in matter or an accident in a subject, inasmuch as place is a boundary of the container. And this is what he adds: as health is in the hot as a habit, and heat is in a body as a passion or accident. Hence it is not necessary to proceed to infinity.
lib. 4 l. 4 n. 11 Deinde cum dicit: illud autem manifestum etc., solvit etiam dubitationes supra positas de quidditate loci, an scilicet sit forma vel materia, ex hoc quod ostensum est, quod nihil primo et per se est in seipso. Ex hoc enim manifestum est quod nihil potest esse sicut vas vel locus eius quod continetur in ipso sicut pars quae sit materia vel forma: oportet enim primo et per se alterum esse, quod est in aliquo, et in quo est aliquid, ut ostensum est. Unde sequitur quod neque forma neque materia sit locus, sed aliquid alterum a locato sit locus: materia enim et forma sunt aliquid locati sicut partes intrinsecae eius. Ultimo autem concludit quod supra dicta per modum oppositionis dicta sunt de loco: quarum quidem oppositionum aliquae iam solutae sunt, aliquae vero solventur post manifestatam naturam loci.	444. Then [307 210 b27] he also settles the doubts mentioned above about the nature of place (namely, whether it be form or matter) by appealing to his proof that nothing exists in itself primarily and per se. For it is clear from this proof that nothing can be the vessel or place of that which is contained in it after the manner of a part such as matter or form is: for that which is in something and that in which something is must be primarily and per se distinct, as we have shown. Hence, it follows that neither form nor matter is place; rather place is something entirely different from the thing in place, whereas matter and form belong to the thing in place as intrinsic parts thereof. Finally he concludes that the things said above about place were said as contesting it. Some of these oppositions have now been solved; others will be solved after the nature of place is manifested.