Part 1


FIGURE 9
Questions about the Elements part 1

The questions about the elemental figure, like its propositions, are in two parts: the first deals with the body of nature and its constituent beings and with the description of nature through which nature can be understood; the second part deals with the powers of nature,namely the elements and their acts. Now let us begin with the first part.

Igneity B.
Question 1: Can the matter of fire be ignified, and can its form ignite?
Question 2: Can the matter of fire be passive under the form of fire without any intermediary?
Solution: [Igneity, aereity, terreity.][Concordance, beginning, middle.]

Aereity C.
Question 1: Can the matter of fire be heated more than the matter of air?
Question 2: Does air have actively moistening form, and passive matter that can be moistened?
Solution: [Aereity, igneity, being.][Difference, concordance, majority.]

Aqueity D.
Question 1: Does the form of water diversify, harmonize and set opposition its matter?
Question 2: Can simple, unmixed matter of water be diversified, harmonized and polarized?
Solution: [Aqueity, simplicity, composition.][Difference, concordance, contrariety.]

Terreity E.
Question 1: Is earth cold per se or by accident?
Question 2: Can the matter of earth be ignited more than the matter of air?
Solution: [Terreity, aqueity, composition.][Beginning, middle, end.]

Being F.
Question 1: Is nature's being composed of substance and accidents?
Question 2: Is essence the source of being, and are the powers of being the source of accidents?
Solution: [Being, substance, accident.][Beginning, end, majority.]

Form G.
Question 1: Is substance produced from majority of form and matter, and accident from minority of substance?
Question 2: Within the rule and intention of nature, can there be any particular forms with no universal form?
Solution: [Form, substance, accident.][Concordance, end, majority.]

Matter H.
Question 1: In the matter of fire, can one and the same essence be illuminated, heated and ignited?
Question 2: Does the form of fire incessantly heat and illuminate all of the matter of fire? 
Solution: [Matter, form, simplicity.][Operation, beginning, end.]

Simplicity I.
Question 1: Does the simplicity of nature have a simplifying act?
Question 2: Does the form of fire actively simplify, whereas its passive matter is simplified?
Solution: [Simplicity, igneity, virtue.][Operation, concordance, majority.]

Composition K.
Question 1: Is fire a compounded power, since its form actively ignifies and its matter is passively ignified?
Question 2: Is nature composed of universals and particulars?
Solution: [Composition, being, nature.][Concordance, beginning, end.]

Substance L.
Question 1: Do substances produce one another, or are they all produced from one individual substance?
Question 2: Is substance more indivisible in its essential parts than in its integral parts?
Solution: [Substance, virtue, operation.][Difference, concordance, majority.]

Accident M.
Question 1: Are accidents an essential, or virtual part of substance?
Question 2: Is accident a universal power above many particular accidents?
Solution: [Accident, substance, virtue.][Beginning, middle, end.]

Virtue N.
Question 1: Can the virtue of substance and the virtue of matter actively individuate and be passively individuated?
Question 2: In substance, are the virtue of form and the virtue of matter one homogeneous essence?
Solution: [Virtue, substance, operation.][Difference, beginning, end.]

Operation O.
Question 1: Does the operation of universals cause individuation in particulars?
Question 2: Does the operation of nature proceed from the essences of substances and accidents?
Solution: [Operation, virtue, motion.][Beginning, end, majority.]

Interior P.
Question 1: Why does nature's inwardness reside in form, and its outwardness in matter?
Question 2: Is man outside, or inside nature?
Solution: [Interior, form, exterior.][Operation, beginning, end.]

Exterior Q.
Question 1: Is God outside the world?
Question 2: Is locus outside of what is located?
Solution: [Exterior, interior, motion.][God, operation, end.]

Motion R.
Question 1: Does natural motion arise from substance or from accidents?
Question 2: Is motive power composed of the virtue of substance, or of accidents?
Solution: [Motion, substance, virtue.][Operation, beginning, end.]




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