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.]
|