[982b]
[1]
and this is the knowledge of the
most knowable, and the things which are most knowable are first
principles and causes; for it is through these and from these that
other things come to be known, and not these through the particulars
which fall under them.And
that science is supreme, and superior to the subsidiary, which knows
for what end each action is to be done; i.e. the Good in each
particular case, and in general the highest Good in the whole of
nature.Thus as a result of all the above
considerations the term which we are investigating falls under the
same science, which must speculate about first principles and causes;
for the Good, i.e. the end , is one of the
causes.That it is not a
productive science is clear from a consideration of the first
philosophers.It is
through wonder that men now begin and originally began to
philosophize; wondering in the first place at obvious perplexities,
and then by gradual progression raising questions about the greater
matters too, e.g. about the changes of the moon and of the sun, about
the stars and about the origin of the universe.Now he who wonders and is perplexed
feels that he is ignorant (thus the myth-lover is in a sense a
philosopher, since myths are composed of wonders);
[20]
therefore if it was to escape ignorance
that men studied philosophy, it is obvious that they pursued science
for the sake of knowledge, and not for any practical
utility.The actual
course of events bears witness to this; for speculation of this kind
began with a view to recreation and pastime, at a time when
practically all the necessities of life were already supplied. Clearly
then it is for no extrinsic advantage that we seek this knowledge; for
just as we call a man independent who exists for himself and not for
another, so we call this the only independent science, since it alone
exists for itself.For this reason its acquisition might
justly be supposed to be beyond human power, since in many respects
human nature is servile; in which case, as Simonides1 says, "God alone can have this
privilege," and man should only seek the knowledge which is within his
reach.Indeed if the
poets are right and the Deity is by nature jealous,
1 Simon. Fr. 3 (Hiller).
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