φανερὸν τοίνυν ὅτι μίαν μέν τινα ἐργασίαν ἡ τοῦ στόματος λειτουργεῖ δύναμις, ἑτέραν δ’ ἡ τῆς κοιλίας, περὶ τὴν τροφήν, ἡ δὲ καρδία κυριωτάτη, καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐπιτίθησιν. ὥστ’ ἀνάγκη καὶ τῆς αἰσθητικῆς καὶ τῆς θρεπτικῆς ψυχῆς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναι τοῖς ἐναίμοις· τὰ γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων μορίων ἔργα περὶ τὴν τροφὴν τοῦ ταύτης ἔργου χάριν ἐστί· δεῖ μὲν γὰρ τὸ κύριον πρὸς τὸ οὗ ἕνεκα διατελεῖν, ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς τούτου ἕνεκα, οἷον ἰατρὸς πρὸς τὴν ὑγίειαν. (De Juv. et Sen., III. 469a2-10)
Three functions in respect of food: by the mouth, by the stomach, and by the heart.
March 10, 2010
March 8, 2010
Nutrition
Earlier in II.4 Aristotle has shown that the soul is the moving cause for nutrition.
ἐπεὶ δ’ ἡ αὐτὴ δύναμις τῆς ψυχῆς θρεπτικὴ καὶ γεννητική, περὶ τροφῆς ἀναγκαῖον διωρίσθαι πρῶτον· ἀφορίζεται γὰρ πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας δυνάμεις τῷ ἔργῳ τούτῳ. (416a19-21)
τροφῆς can refer to either food, nutrition, or the exercise of the faculty of nutrition.
ἐπεὶ δ’ ἡ αὐτὴ δύναμις τῆς ψυχῆς θρεπτικὴ καὶ γεννητική, περὶ τροφῆς ἀναγκαῖον διωρίσθαι πρῶτον· ἀφορίζεται γὰρ πρὸς τὰς ἄλλας δυνάμεις τῷ ἔργῳ τούτῳ. (416a19-21)
τροφῆς can refer to either food, nutrition, or the exercise of the faculty of nutrition.
March 1, 2010
GC I.10 μίξις
Argument (καθάπερ λέγουσί τινες) against mixture (μίξις) (327a35-b7):
(a) If the ingredients still exist and are not altered at all, they are no more mixed than they were before.
(b) If one ingredient is destroyed, then there is no mixture, because one ingredient exists while the other does not. For, mixture is composed of ingredients which remain what they were before.
(c) If both ingredients are destroyed, then there is no mixture. Based on the same reason as (b).
(a) If the ingredients still exist and are not altered at all, they are no more mixed than they were before.
(b) If one ingredient is destroyed, then there is no mixture, because one ingredient exists while the other does not. For, mixture is composed of ingredients which remain what they were before.
(c) If both ingredients are destroyed, then there is no mixture. Based on the same reason as (b).
December 7, 2009
GC I.7
Two ways of speaking of acting-upon and being-acted upon 324a16-24:
1. The substratum: sometimes we say that it is the substratum which is acted upon, e.g., a man is restored to health, or that it is the man who causes heat.
2. The contraries: sometimes we say that it is the contrary which is acted upon, e.g., the cold is heated or the hot causes heat.
1. The substratum: sometimes we say that it is the substratum which is acted upon, e.g., a man is restored to health, or that it is the man who causes heat.
2. The contraries: sometimes we say that it is the contrary which is acted upon, e.g., the cold is heated or the hot causes heat.
December 5, 2009
GC I.5
What is it that grows?
Ἀπορήσειε δ’ ἄν τις καὶ τί ἐστι τὸ αὐξανόμενον, πότερον ᾧ προστίθεταί τι, οἷον εἰ τὴν κνήμην αὐξάνει, αὕτη μείζων, ᾧ δὲ αὐξάνει, ἡ τροφή, οὔ. Διὰ τί δὴ οὖν οὐκ ἄμφω ηὔξηται; μεῖζον γὰρ καὶ ὃ καὶ ᾧ, ὥσπερ ὅταν μίξῃς οἶνον ὕδατι· ὁμοίως γὰρ πλεῖον ἑκάτερον. Ἢ ὅτι τοῦ μὲν μένει ἡ οὐσία, τοῦ δ’ οὔ, οἷον τῆς τροφῆς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἐπικρατοῦν λέγεται ἐν τῇ μίξει, οἷον ὅτι οἶνος· ποιεῖ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ οἴνου ἔργον ἀλλ’ οὐ τὸ τοῦ ὕδατος τὸ συνόλον μίγμα. (I.5, 321a29-321b2)
Ἀπορήσειε δ’ ἄν τις καὶ τί ἐστι τὸ αὐξανόμενον, πότερον ᾧ προστίθεταί τι, οἷον εἰ τὴν κνήμην αὐξάνει, αὕτη μείζων, ᾧ δὲ αὐξάνει, ἡ τροφή, οὔ. Διὰ τί δὴ οὖν οὐκ ἄμφω ηὔξηται; μεῖζον γὰρ καὶ ὃ καὶ ᾧ, ὥσπερ ὅταν μίξῃς οἶνον ὕδατι· ὁμοίως γὰρ πλεῖον ἑκάτερον. Ἢ ὅτι τοῦ μὲν μένει ἡ οὐσία, τοῦ δ’ οὔ, οἷον τῆς τροφῆς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ ἐπικρατοῦν λέγεται ἐν τῇ μίξει, οἷον ὅτι οἶνος· ποιεῖ γὰρ τὸ τοῦ οἴνου ἔργον ἀλλ’ οὐ τὸ τοῦ ὕδατος τὸ συνόλον μίγμα. (I.5, 321a29-321b2)
December 4, 2009
GC I.4
Difference between coming-to-be and alteration
Definition of alteration
Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἐστί τι τὸ ὑποκείμενον καὶ ἕτερον τὸ πάθος ὃ κατὰ τοῦ ὑποκειμένου λέγεσθαι πέφυκεν, καὶ ἔστι μεταβολὴ ἑκατέρου τούτων, ἀλλοίωσις μέν ἐστιν, ὅταν ὑπομένοντος τοῦ ὑποκειμένου, αἰσθητοῦ ὄντος, μεταβάλλῃ ἐν τοῖς αὑτοῦ πάθεσιν, ἢ ἐναντίοις οὖσιν ἢ μεταξύ, οἷον τὸ σῶμα ὑγιαίνει καὶ πάλιν κάμνει ὑπομένον γε ταὐτό, καὶ ὁ χαλκὸς στρογγύλος, ὁτὲ δὲ γωνιοειδὴς ὁ αὐτός γε ὤν. (319b10-14)
Definition of alteration
Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἐστί τι τὸ ὑποκείμενον καὶ ἕτερον τὸ πάθος ὃ κατὰ τοῦ ὑποκειμένου λέγεσθαι πέφυκεν, καὶ ἔστι μεταβολὴ ἑκατέρου τούτων, ἀλλοίωσις μέν ἐστιν, ὅταν ὑπομένοντος τοῦ ὑποκειμένου, αἰσθητοῦ ὄντος, μεταβάλλῃ ἐν τοῖς αὑτοῦ πάθεσιν, ἢ ἐναντίοις οὖσιν ἢ μεταξύ, οἷον τὸ σῶμα ὑγιαίνει καὶ πάλιν κάμνει ὑπομένον γε ταὐτό, καὶ ὁ χαλκὸς στρογγύλος, ὁτὲ δὲ γωνιοειδὴς ὁ αὐτός γε ὤν. (319b10-14)
December 3, 2009
GC I.3
Οὔσης δ’ αἰτίας μιᾶς μὲν ὅθεν τὴν ἀρχὴν εἶναί φαμεν τῆς κινήσεως, μιᾶς δὲ τῆς ὕλης, τὴν τοιαύτην αἰτίαν λεκτέον. Περὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνης εἴρηται πρότερον ἐν τοῖς περὶ κινήσεως λόγοις, ὅτι ἐστὶ τὸ μὲν ἀκίνητον τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον, τὸ δὲ κινούμενον ἀεί. (318a1-5)
GC deals with the material explanation of motion whereas Physics VIII.6, 258bff deals with the efficient explanation of motion.
GC deals with the material explanation of motion whereas Physics VIII.6, 258bff deals with the efficient explanation of motion.
December 1, 2009
GC I.1
Is the nature of coming-to-be and alteration the same?
Anaxagoras: earth, fire, water, and air are composites, since everything is constructed out of a single element. It follows that coming-to-be and passing-away are the same as alteration, since their substratum remains one and the same.
Empedocles: earth, fire, water, and air are four simple elements. Coming-to-be and passing-away occur when the elements come together (i.e., association) and are dissolved (i.e., dissociation) (but there is no coming-to-be and passing-away of the four elements), whereas alteration is change of qualities. It follows that coming-to-be and passing-away cannot be the same as alteration.
Anaxagoras: earth, fire, water, and air are composites, since everything is constructed out of a single element. It follows that coming-to-be and passing-away are the same as alteration, since their substratum remains one and the same.
Empedocles: earth, fire, water, and air are four simple elements. Coming-to-be and passing-away occur when the elements come together (i.e., association) and are dissolved (i.e., dissociation) (but there is no coming-to-be and passing-away of the four elements), whereas alteration is change of qualities. It follows that coming-to-be and passing-away cannot be the same as alteration.
November 4, 2009
De Anima II.7
418a26-b3
1. What is visible (ὁρατόν) is, say, color.
2. Color is that which is on (ἐπὶ) what is in itself visible, say X.
3. X is in itself visible not by definition but because X has in itself the explanation of being visible.
4. Every color is capable of setting in motion that which is actually transparent.
5. 4. is the nature of color.
6. Therefore, color is not visible without light. (How come?)
1. What is visible (ὁρατόν) is, say, color.
2. Color is that which is on (ἐπὶ) what is in itself visible, say X.
3. X is in itself visible not by definition but because X has in itself the explanation of being visible.
4. Every color is capable of setting in motion that which is actually transparent.
5. 4. is the nature of color.
6. Therefore, color is not visible without light. (How come?)
September 23, 2009
De Anima II.5, 417b2-28
417b2-17 Distinction between acquiring and exercising a certain piece of knowledge
417b2 οὐκ ἔστι δ’ ἁπλοῦν οὐδὲ τὸ πάσχειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν φθορά τις ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐναντίου, τὸ δὲ σωτηρία μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος καὶ ὁμοίου οὕτως ὡς δύναμις ἔχει πρὸς ἐντελέχειαν•
b2 ἁπλοῦν Ross: a change of one kind
b3-4 Ross: “the traditional text τὸ δὲ σωτηρία μᾶλλον τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος cannot be right,” since the subject of ἔχει (b5) is not τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος but τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος.
417b2 οὐκ ἔστι δ’ ἁπλοῦν οὐδὲ τὸ πάσχειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν φθορά τις ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐναντίου, τὸ δὲ σωτηρία μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος καὶ ὁμοίου οὕτως ὡς δύναμις ἔχει πρὸς ἐντελέχειαν•
b2 ἁπλοῦν Ross: a change of one kind
b3-4 Ross: “the traditional text τὸ δὲ σωτηρία μᾶλλον τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος cannot be right,” since the subject of ἔχει (b5) is not τοῦ ἐντελεχείᾳ ὄντος but τοῦ δυνάμει ὄντος.