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第164章

the six enneads-第164章

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learer as we proceed。     13。 We turn to ask why Quantity is not included among the primary genera; and Quality also。     Quantity is not among the primaries; because these are permanently associated with Being。 Motion is bound up with Actual Being 'Being…in…Act'; since it is its life; with Motion; Stability too gained its foothold in Reality; with these are associated Difference and Identity; so that they also are seen in conjunction with Being。 But number 'the basis of Quantity' is a posterior。 It is posterior not only with regard to these genera but also within itself; in number the posterior is divided from the prior; this is a sequence in which the posteriors are latent in the priors 'and do not appear simultaneously'。 Number therefore cannot be included among the primary genera; whether it constitutes a genus at all remains to be examined。     Magnitude 'extended quantity' is in a still higher degree posterior and composite; for it contains within itself number; line and surface。 Now if continuous magnitude derives its quantity from number; and number is not a genus; how can magnitude hold that status? Besides; magnitudes; like numbers; admit of priority and posteriority。     If; then; Quantity be constituted by a common element in both number and magnitude; we must ascertain the nature of this common element; and consider it; once discovered; as a posterior genus; not as one of the Primaries: thus failing of primary status; it must be related; directly or indirectly; to one of the Primaries。     We may take it as clear that it is the nature of Quantity to indicate a certain quantum; and to measure the quantum of the particular; Quantity is moreover; in a sense; itself a quantum。 But if the quantum is the common element in number and magnitude; either we have number as a primary with magnitude derived from it; or else number must consist of a blending of Motion and Stability; while magnitude will be a form of Motion or will originate in Motion; Motion going forth to infinity and Stability creating the unit by checking that advance。     But the problem of the origin of number and magnitude; or rather of how they subsist and are conceived; must be held over。 It may; thus; be found that number is among the primary genera; while magnitude is posterior and composite; or that number belongs to the genus Stability; while magnitude must be consigned to Motion。 But we propose to discuss all this at a later stage。     14。 Why is Quality; again; not included among the Primaries? Because like Quantity it is a posterior; subsequent to Substance。 Primary Substance must necessarily contain Quantity and Quality as its consequents; it cannot owe its subsistence to them; or require them for its completion: that would make it posterior to Quality and Quantity。     Now in the case of composite substances… those constituted from diverse elements… number and qualities provide a means of differentiation: the qualities may be detached from the common core around which they are found to group themselves。 But in the primary genera there is no distinction to be drawn between simples and composites; the difference is between simples and those entities which complete not a particular substance but Substance as such。 A particular substance may very well receive completion from Quality; for though it already has Substance before the accession of Quality; its particular character is external to Substance。 But in Substance itself all the elements are substantial。     Nevertheless; we ventured to assert elsewhere that while the complements of Substance are only by analogy called qualities; yet accessions of external origin and subsequent to Substance are really qualities; that; further; the properties which inhere in substances are their activities 'Acts'; while those which are subsequent are merely modifications 'or Passions': we now affirm that the attributes of the particular substance are never complementary to Substance 'as such'; an accession of Substance does not come to the substance of man qua man; he is; on the contrary; Substance in a higher degree before he arrives at differentiation; just as he is already 〃living being〃 before he passes into the rational species。     15。 How then do the four genera complete Substance without qualifying it or even particularizing it?     It has been observed that Being is primary; and it is clear that none of the four… Motion; Stability; Difference; Identity… is distinct from it。 That this Motion does not produce Quality is doubtless also clear; but a word or two will make it clearer still。     If Motion is the Act of Substance; and Being and the Primaries in general are its Act; then Motion is not an accidental attribute: as the Act of what is necessarily actual 'what necessarily involves Act'; it is no longer to be considered as the complement of Substance but as Substance itself。 For this reason; then; it has not been assigned to a posterior class; or referred to Quality; but has been made contemporary with Being。     The truth is not that Being first is and then takes Motion; first is and then acquires Stability: neither Stability nor Motion is a mere modification of Being。 Similarly; Identity and Difference are not later additions: Being did not grow into plurality; its very unity was a plurality; but plurality implies Difference; and unity…in…plurality involves Identity。     Substance 'Real Being' requires no more than these five constituents; but when we have to turn to the lower sphere; we find other principles giving rise no longer to Substance (as such) but to quantitative Substance and qualitative: these other principles may be regarded as genera but not primary genera。     16。 As for Relation; manifestly an offshoot; how can it be included among primaries? Relation is of thing ranged against thing; it is not self…pivoted; but looks outward。     Place and Date are still more remote from Being。 Place denotes the presence of one entity within another; so that it involves a duality; but a genus must be a unity; not a composite。 Besides; Place does not exist in the higher sphere; and the present discussion is concerned with the realm of True Being。     Whether time is There; remains to be considered。 Apparently it has less claim than even Place。 If it is a measurement; and that a measurement of Motion; we have two entities; the whole is a composite and posterior to Motion; therefore it is not on an equal footing with Motion in our classification。     Action and Passivity presuppose Motion; if; then; they exist in the higher sphere; they each involve a duality; neither is a simplex。     Possession is a duality; while Situation; as signifying one thing situated in another; is a threefold conception。     17。 Why are not beauty; goodness and the virtues; together with knowledge and intelligence; included among the primary genera?     If by goodness we mean The First… what we call the Principle of Goodness; the Principle of which we can predicate nothing; giving it this name only because we have no other means of indicating it… then goodness; clearly; can be the genus of nothing: this principle is not affirmed of other things; if it were; each of these would be Goodness itself。 The truth is that it is prior to Substance; not contained in it。 If; on the contrary; we mean goodness as a quality; no quality can be ranked among the primaries。     Does this imply that the nature of Being is not good? Not good; to begin with; in the sense in which The First is good; but in another sense of the word: moreover; Being does not possess its goodness as a quality but as a constituent。     But the other genera too; we said; are constituents of Being; and are regarded as genera because each is a common property found in many things。 If then goodness is similarly observed in every part of Substance or Being; or in most parts; why is goodness not a genus; and a primary genus? Because it is not found identical in all the parts of Being; but appears in degrees; first; second and subsequent; whether it be because one part is derived from another… posterior from prior… or because all are posterior to the transcendent Unity; different parts of Being participating in it in diverse degrees corresponding to their characteristic natures。   

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