Authors/Thomas Aquinas/physics/L7/lect5

Lecture 5 Alteration is not found in the fourth species of quality (form and figure), nor in the first (habit and disposition)

Latin	English
	Lecture 5 Alteration is not found in the fourth species of quality (form and figure), nor in the first (habit and disposition)
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 1 Quia in praecedenti ratione philosophus supposuerat quod omnis alteratio sit secundum sensibilia, hoc intendit hic probare. Et primo proponit quod intendit; secundo probat propositum, ibi: aliorum enim maxime et cetera. Dicit ergo primo, quod ex sequentibus considerandum est quod omnia quae alterantur, alterantur secundum qualitates sensibiles: et per consequens illis solum competit alterari, quae per se patiuntur ab huiusmodi qualitatibus.	913. Because the Philosopher had assumed in the preceding argument that every alteration takes place in respect of what is sensible, he now undertakes to prove this. First he proposes what he intends; Secondly, he proves the proposition, at 914. He says therefore first (697 245 b3) that from what will follow it must be considered that all things that are altered, are altered according to sensible qualities, and that, consequently, to be altered belongs only to those things which are per se affected by such qualities.
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 2 Deinde cum dicit: aliorum enim maxime etc., probat propositum arguendo a maiori. Quod quidem primo ponit; secundo quaedam quae supponit probat, ibi: ex quo quidem enim et cetera. Dicit ergo primo, quod praeter qualitates sensibiles, maxime videtur esse alteratio in quarta specie qualitatis, quae est qualitas circa quantitatem, scilicet forma et figura: et in prima specie qualitatis, quae continet sub se habitus et dispositiones. Videtur enim quod alteratio quaedam sit, per hoc quod huiusmodi qualitates de novo removentur, aut de novo acquiruntur: non enim videtur hoc sine mutatione posse contingere; mutatio autem secundum qualitatem alteratio est, ut supra dictum est. Sed in praedictis qualitatibus primae et quartae speciei, non est alteratio primo et principaliter, sed secundario: quia huiusmodi qualitates consequuntur quasdam alterationes primarum qualitatum; sicut patet quod cum materia subiecta densatur aut rarescit, sequitur mutatio secundum figuram; et similiter cum calefiat aut infrigidetur, sequitur mutatio secundum sanitatem et aegritudinem, quae pertinent ad primam speciem qualitatis. Rarum autem et densum, calidum et frigidum sunt sensibiles qualitates: et sic patet quod non est alteratio in prima et quarta specie qualitatis primo et per se; sed remotio et acceptio huiusmodi qualitatum consequuntur ad aliquam alterationem, quae est secundum sensibiles qualitates. Ex quo etiam patet quare non facit mentionem de secunda specie qualitatis, quae est potentia vel impotentia naturalis. Manifestum est enim quod potentia vel impotentia naturalis non accipitur aut removetur nisi transmutata natura, quod fit per alterationem; et ideo hoc quasi manifestum praetermisit.	914. Then at (698 245 b6) he proves his proposition a majori. First he posits the proposition; Secondly, he proves certain things he assumed, at 915- He says therefore first (698 245 b6) that in addition to the sensible qualities (the third species of quality), alteration seems to occur especially in respect to the fourth species of quality, a quality concerned with quantity, namely, form and figure, and to the first species, which contains habits and dispositions. For when such qualities are freshly removed or newly acquired, alteration seems to be involved—for these things seem unable to occur without some changes and a change in respect of quality is alteration, as was said above. But in the above-mentioned qualities of the first and fourth species, there is no alteration primarily and principally but only in a secondary sense, for such qualities follow upon alterations of the primary qualities, as is clear from the fact that when the underlying matter becomes dense or rare, a consequent change of figure results, In like manner, when it becomes hot or cold, there follows a change in regard to health and sickness, which pertain to the first species of quality. Rare and dense, hot and cold are sensible qualities, and so it is clear that there is not alteration in the first and fourth species of quality primarily and per se; rather the receiving or removing of them are a consequence of some alteration affecting sensible qualities. From this is also plain why he makes no mention of the second species of quality, i.e., natural potency and impotency. For it is clear that these latter are not received or lost without a change in the nature, which takes place through alteration. That is why he did not mention them.
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 3 Deinde cum dicit: ex quo quidem etc., probat quod supposuerat. Et primo quod non sit alteratio in quarta specie qualitatis; secundo quod non sit in prima, ibi: neque enim in habitibus et cetera. Circa primum ponit duas rationes: quarum prima sumitur ex modo loquendi. Ubi considerandum est quod forma et figura in hoc ab invicem differunt, quod figura importat terminationem quantitatis; est enim figura, quae termino vel terminis comprehenditur: forma vero dicitur, quae dat esse specificum artificiato; formae enim artificiatorum sunt accidentia. Dicit ergo quod illud ex quo fit forma statuae, non dicimus formam; idest, materia statuae non praedicatur de statua in principali et recto; et similiter est in figura pyramidis vel lecti: sed in talibus materia praedicatur denominative; dicimus enim triangulum aeneum aut cereum aut ligneum, et simile est in aliis. Sed in his quae alterantur, et passionem praedicamus de subiecto, quia dicimus aes esse humidum aut forte aut calidum; et e converso, humidum vel calidum dicimus esse aes, aequaliter praedicantes materiam de passione, et e converso; et dicimus hominem esse album, et album esse hominem. Quia ergo in formis et figuris materia non aequaliter dicitur cum ipsa figura, ita quod alterum de altero dicatur in principali et recto, sed solum denominative materia praedicatur de figura et forma; in his autem quae alterantur, subiectum et passio aequaliter de invicem praedicantur; sequitur quod in formis et figuris non sit alteratio, sed solum in sensibilibus qualitatibus.	915. Then at (699 245 b9) he proves what he had assumed: First, that alteration does not occur in the fourth species of quality; Secondly, that it does not occur in the first species, at 918. In regard to the first he gives two reasons, the first of which (699 245 b9) is based on the way people speak. Here it must be considered that form and figure mutually differ in this, that figure implies termination of quantity, for the figure is that which is confined by the terminus or termini; but form is something which gives artifacts a kind of species, for the forms of artifacts are accidents. He says therefore that that from which the form of a statue comes to be is not called a form, i.e., the matter of the statue is not predicated of the statue in principali et recto, and the same for the figure of a pyramid or of a couch; rather in all such cases the matter is predicated denominatively. For we say that a triangle is wooden or golden or waxen. But in things that are altered, we predicate of the subject the quality received by the alteration, for we say that brass is wet and strong and hot, and conversely we say that the wet thing or the hot thing is brass, i.e., we predicate the matter of the quality and the quality of the matter, In fine, we say that a man is a white thing and that some white thing is a man. Therefore, because in forms and figures the matter is not predicated conversely with the figure, so that either could be said of the other in principali et recto, but rather the matter is predicated of the figure only in a denominative way, whereas in things that are altered the subject and the quality are mutually predicated, it follows that in forms and figures there is not alteration but only in sensible qualities.
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 4 Secundam rationem ponit ibi: amplius et aliter etc.; et sumitur a proprietate rei. Ridiculum enim est dicere quod homo vel domus vel quidquid aliud, alteretur ex hoc ipso quod accipit finem suae perfectionis: puta si domus perficitur per hoc quod tegitur, vel per hoc quod lateribus ornatur aut cooperitur, ridiculum est dicere quod domus alteretur, quando cooperitur aut lateratur. Est etiam manifestum quod alteratio non est eorum quae fiunt, inquantum fiunt; sed unumquodque perficitur et fit, inquantum accipit formam propriam et figuram. Non est ergo alteratio in acceptione figurae et formae.	916. He gives a second reason at (700 246 a4) and it is based on a property of a thing. For it is foolish to say that a man or a house or anything else is altered just because it receives the end of its perfection. For example, if a house is made perfect when it gets a roof or when it is decorated or enclosed with walls, it is ridiculous to say that the house is being altered when it becomes roofed. It is also clear that alteration does not affect things that come to be, precisely as coming to be; rather a thing becomes perfect and comes to be inasmuch as it receives its own form and figure. Consequently, alteration is not involved in the receiving of figure and form.
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 5 Ad evidentiam autem harum rationum considerandum est, quod inter omnes qualitates, figurae maxime consequuntur et demonstrant speciem rerum. Quod maxime in plantis et animalibus patet, in quibus nullo certiori iudicio diversitas specierum diiudicari potest, quam diversitate figurarum. Et hoc ideo, quia sicut quantitas propinquissime se habet ad substantiam inter alia accidentia, ita figura, quae est qualitas circa quantitatem, propinquissime se habet ad formam substantiae. Unde sicut posuerunt aliqui dimensiones esse substantiam rerum, ita posuerunt aliqui figuras esse substantiales formas. Et ex hoc contingit quod imago, quae est expressa rei repraesentatio, secundum figuram potissime attendatur, magis quam secundum colorem vel aliquid aliud. Et quia ars est imitatrix naturae, et artificiatum est quaedam rei naturalis imago, formae artificialium sunt figurae vel aliquid propinquum. Et ideo propter similitudinem huiusmodi formarum et figurarum ad formas substantiales, dicit philosophus quod secundum acceptionem formae et figurae non est alteratio, sed perfectio. Et exinde etiam est quod materia de huiusmodi non praedicatur nisi denominative, sicut etiam est in substantiis naturalibus: non enim dicimus hominem terram, sed terrenum.	917. In order to make these reasons clearer, we should consider that of all qualities in a thing, it is figure that both follows upon the species and indicates the species. This is particularly evident in animals and plants in which there is no more sure way to judge a diversity of species than by a diversity of figure. The reason for this is that just as quantity is the nearest of all the accidents to the substance, so the figure, which is a quality affecting quantity, is nearest to the substantial form. Hence, just as some philosophers supposed that dimensions were the substances of things, so they supposed that their figures were their substantial forms. It is for this reason that an image, which is an express representation of a thing, is based especially on the figure rather than on the color or something else. And since art imitates nature, and an artifact is an image of a natural thing, the forms of artificial things are the figure or something close to the figure. And therefore, on account of the similarity of forms and figures to substantial forms, the Philosopher says that the receiving of form and figure is not alteration but perfection. And that is also why the matter is not predicated of them except denominatively, similarly to the case of natural substances—for we do not say that a man is earth but of earth (terrenus).
lib. 7 l. 5 n. 6 Deinde cum dicit: neque enim in habitibus etc., ostendit quod non est alteratio in prima specie qualitatis. Et primo quantum ad habitus et dispositiones corporis; secundo quantum ad habitus et dispositiones animae, ibi: neque itaque circa animae virtutes et cetera. Circa primum ponit talem rationem. Habitus qui sunt in prima specie qualitatis, etiam corporei, sunt quaedam virtutes et malitiae. Virtus enim universaliter cuiuslibet rei est quae bonum facit habentem, et opus eius bonum reddit: unde virtus corporis dicitur, secundum quam bene se habet et bene operatur, ut sanitas; e contrario autem est de malitia, ut de aegritudine. Omnis autem virtus et malitia dicuntur ad aliquid. Et hoc manifestat per exempla. Sanitas enim, quae est quaedam virtus corporis, est quaedam commensuratio calidorum et frigidorum; et dico hanc commensurationem fieri, secundum debitam proportionem eorum quae sunt infra, idest humorum ex quibus componitur corpus, ad invicem et ad continens, idest ad totum corpus. Aliqua enim contemperatio humorum est sanitas in leone, quae non esset sanitas in homine, sed eius extinctio; quia eam humana natura ferre non posset. Commentator autem exponit ad continens, idest ad aerem continentem. Sed primum melius est: quia sanitas animalis non attenditur per comparationem ad aerem; sed potius e converso dispositio aeris dicitur sana per comparationem ad animal. Similiter pulchritudo et macies dicuntur ad aliquid (et sumitur macies pro dispositione, qua aliquis est expeditus ad motum et actionem). Huiusmodi enim sunt quaedam dispositiones eius quod est perfectum in sua natura per comparationem ad optimum, idest ad finem, qui est operatio. Sicut enim dictum est, ex hoc huiusmodi dispositiones virtutes dicuntur, quod bonum faciunt habentem, et opus eius bonum reddunt. Dicuntur ergo huiusmodi dispositiones per relationem ad debitum opus, quod est optimum rei. Nec oportet exponere optimum, aliquid extrinsecum, sicut quod est pulcherrimum aut sanissimum, ut Commentator exponit: accidit enim pulchritudini et sanitati relatio quae est ad extrinsecum optime dispositum; sed per se competit eis relatio quae est ad bonum opus. Et ne aliquis accipiat perfectum, quod iam adeptum est finem, dicit quod perfectum hic accipitur hoc quod est sanativum et dispositum secundum naturam. Non autem est hic intelligendum quod huiusmodi habitus et dispositiones hoc ipsum quod sunt, ad aliquid sint; quia sic non essent in genere qualitatis, sed relationis: sed quia eorum ratio ex aliqua relatione dependet. Quia igitur huiusmodi habitus ad aliquid sunt; et in ad aliquid non est motus neque generatio neque alteratio, ut in quinto probatum est; manifestum est quod in huiusmodi habitibus non est alteratio primo et per se: sed eorum transmutatio consequitur aliquam priorem alterationem calidi et frigidi, aut alicuius huiusmodi; sicut etiam relationes esse incipiunt per consequentiam ad aliquos motus.	918. Then at (701 246 a9) he shows that there is not alteration in the first species of quality. First in regard to habits and dispositions of the body; Secondly, in regard to habits and dispositions of the soul, (L. 6). In regard to the first, he gives this argument: Habits which are in the first species of quality, even if they be bodily, are called virtues and vices. For in general the virtue of a thing is what makes it good and renders its work good; hence a virtue of the body is that according to which it is well kept in itself and acts well, e.g. health; or, on the other hand, it is a vice, as is sickness. Now every virtue and vice is spoken of in reference to something else. And this he makes clear by examples. For health, which is a virtue of the body, is a definite harmony of the hot and the cold, and I say that this harmony is in respect to the due proportion of the things beneath, i.e., of the humors, of which the body is composed, both in relation to themselves and to what contains them, i.e., to the whole body. For a proportion of humors that would be health in a lion, would be not health, but destruction, for a man, for his nature would not stand it. The Commentator refers the phrase “to what contains them” to the surrounding air. But the first explanation is better, because the health of an animal is not considered in relation to the air; rather the disposition of the air is called healthy in relation to the animal. Likewise, beauty and agility are said in relation to something (“agility” is taken here for the disposition whereby one is disposed for motion and action). For such dispositions are in a thing that is perfect in its nature in comparison to the best, i.e., to the end, which is operation. For, as it was said, such dispositions are called virtues because they make their possessor good and his work good,. Therefore these dispositions are described in reference to their due work, which is the best of a thing. There is no use trying to explain “best” in terms of something extrinsic, as in the case of what is most beautiful or most healthy, as the Commentator does, for it is accidental to beauty and health that they be related to something extrinsic disposed in the best possible manner; rather what is per se is their relation to a good work. And lest anyone understand by “perfect” a thing that has already attained its end, he says that “perfect” is here taken in the sense of what is healthy and disposed according to nature. But it must not be supposed here that such habits and dispositions are of their very nature relations, for otherwise they would not be in the genus of quality. The point is that their definition depends on a relation Of some sort. Therefore, because habits of this kind imply a relation, and in relation there is neither motion nor generation nor alteration, as was proved in Book V, it is clear that in habits of this kind there is not alteration primarily and per se; rather a change follows upon a previous alteration of the hot and the cold or of something of this sort, just as relations begin to exist as a consequence of certain motions or changes.