[1073a]
[1]
E.g.,
one might say that prior to the seed is the man—not he who
is produced from the seed, but another man from whom the seed
comes.1 Thus
it is evident from the foregoing account that there is some substance
which is eternal and immovable and separate from sensible things; and
it has also been shown that this substance can have no magnitude, but
is impartible and indivisible (for it causes motion for infinite time,
and nothing finite has an infinite potentiality2; and therefore since
every magnitude is either finite or infinite, it cannot have finite
magnitude,and it
cannot have infinite magnitude because there is no such thing at all);
and moreover that it is impassive and unalterable; for all the other
kinds of motion are posterior to spatial motion. Thus it is clear why
this substance has these attributes. We must not
disregard the question whether we should hold that there is one
substance of this kind or more than one, and if more than one, how
many; we must review the pronouncements of other thinkers and show
that with regard to the number of the substances they have said
nothing that can be clearly stated.The theory of the Ideas contains no peculiar
treatment of the question; for the exponents of the theory call the
Ideas numbers, and speak of the numbers
[20]
now as though they were unlimited and now as though
they were limited by the number 103; but as for why there should be just so many numbers,
there is no explanation given with demonstrative accuracy.We, however, must discuss the
question on the basis of the assumptions and distinctions which we
have already made.The first principle
and primary reality is immovable, both essentially and accidentally,
but it excites the primary form of motion, which is one and
eternal.Now since
that which is moved must be moved by something, and the prime mover
must be essentially immovable, and eternal motion must be excited by
something eternal, and one motion by some one thing; and since we can
see that besides the simple spatial motion of the universe4(which we hold to be excited by
the primary immovable substance) there are other spatial
motions—those of the planets—which are eternal
(because a body which moves in a circle is eternal and is never at
rest—this has been proved in our physical treatises5); then each of these spatial motions must
also be excited by a substance which is essentially immovable and
eternal.For the
nature of the heavenly bodies is eternal, being a kind of substance;
and that which moves is eternal and prior to the moved; and that which
is prior to a substance must be a substance. It is therefore clear
that there must be an equal number of substances, in nature eternal,
essentially immovable, and without magnitude; for the reason already
stated.6
1 Cf. Aristot. Met. 9.8.4, 5.
2 Cf.Aristot. Physics 266a24-b6.
3 Cf. Aristot. Met. 13.8.17, 20. This was a Pythagorean survival, cf. Vol. I. Introduction. xvi.
4 i.e., the (apparent) diurnal revolution of the heavens.
5 Aristot. Physics 8.8, 9, Aristot. De Caelo 1.2, 2.3-8.
Aristotle. Aristotle in 23 Volumes, Vols.17, 18, translated by Hugh Tredennick. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1933, 1989.
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