第5章
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佚名字数:32140更新时间:18/12/20 11:08:59
5
Sinceeverythingthatchangeschangesfromsomethingtosomething,thatwhichhaschangedmustatthemomentwhenithasfirstchangedbeinthattowhichithaschanged。Forthatwhichchangesretiresfromorleavesthatfromwhichitchanges:andleaving,ifnotidenticalwithchanging,isatanyrateaconsequenceofit。Andifleavingisaconsequenceofchanging,havingleftisaconsequenceofhavingchanged:forthereisalikerelationbetweenthetwoineachcase。
Onekindofchange,then,beingchangeinarelationofcontradiction,whereathinghaschangedfromnot-beingtobeingithasleftnot-being。Thereforeitwillbeinbeing:foreverythingmusteitherbeornotbe。Itisevident,then,thatincontradictorychangethatwhichhaschangedmustbeinthattowhichithaschanged。Andifthisistrueinthiskindofchange,itwillbetrueinallotherkindsaswell:forinthismatterwhatholdsgoodinthecaseofonewillholdgoodlikewiseinthecaseoftherest。
Moreover,ifwetakeeachkindofchangeseparately,thetruthofourconclusionwillbeequallyevident,onthegroundthatthatthatwhichhaschangedmustbesomewhereorinsomething。For,sinceithasleftthatfromwhichithaschangedandmustbesomewhere,itmustbeeitherinthattowhichithaschangedorinsomethingelse。If,then,thatwhichhaschangedtoBisinsomethingotherthanB,sayG,itmustagainbechangingfromGtoB:foritcannotbeassumedthatthereisnointervalbetweenGandB,sincechangeiscontinuous。Thuswehavetheresultthatthethingthathaschanged,atthemomentwhenithaschanged,ischangingtothattowhichithaschanged,whichisimpossible:thatwhichhaschanged,therefore,mustbeinthattowhichithaschanged。Soitisevidentlikewisethatthatthatwhichhascometobe,atthemomentwhenithascometobe,willbe,andthatwhichhasceasedtobewillnot-be:forwhatwehavesaidappliesuniversallytoeverykindofchange,anditstruthismostobviousinthecaseofcontradictorychange。Itisclear,then,thatthatwhichhaschanged,atthemomentwhenithasfirstchanged,isinthattowhichithaschanged。
Wewillnowshowthatthe\'primarywhen\'inwhichthatwhichhaschangedeffectedthecompletionofitschangemustbeindivisible,whereby\'primary\'Imeanpossessingthecharacteristicsinquestionofitselfandnotinvirtueofthepossessionofthembysomethingelsebelongingtoit。ForletAGbedivisible,andletitbedividedatB。IfthenthecompletionofchangehasbeeneffectedinABoragaininBG,AGcannotbetheprimarythinginwhichthecompletionofchangehasbeeneffected。If,ontheotherhand,ithasbeenchanginginbothABandBG(foritmusteitherhavechangedorbechangingineachofthem),itmusthavebeenchanginginthewholeAG:
butourassumptionwasthatAGcontainsonlythecompletionofthechange。ItisequallyimpossibletosupposethatonepartofAG
containstheprocessandtheotherthecompletionofthechange:forthenweshallhavesomethingpriortowhatisprimary。Sothatinwhichthecompletionofchangehasbeeneffectedmustbeindivisible。Itisalsoevident,therefore,thatthatthatinwhichthatwhichhasceasedtobehasceasedtobeandthatinwhichthatwhichhascometobehascometobeareindivisible。
Buttherearetwosensesoftheexpression\'theprimarywheninwhichsomethinghaschanged\'。Ontheonehanditmaymeantheprimarywhencontainingthecompletionoftheprocessofchange-themomentwhenitiscorrecttosay\'ithaschanged\':ontheotherhanditmaymeantheprimarywhencontainingthebeginningoftheprocessofchange。Nowtheprimarywhenthathasreferencetotheendofthechangeissomethingreallyexistent:forachangemayreallybecompleted,andthereissuchathingasanendofchange,whichwehaveinfactshowntobeindivisiblebecauseitisalimit。Butthatwhichhasreferencetothebeginningisnotexistentatall:forthereisnosuchthingasabeginningofaprocessofchange,andthetimeoccupiedbythechangedoesnotcontainanyprimarywheninwhichthechangebegan。ForsupposethatADissuchaprimarywhen。Thenitcannotbeindivisible:for,ifitwere,themomentimmediatelyprecedingthechangeandthemomentinwhichthechangebeginswouldbeconsecutive(andmomentscannotbeconsecutive)。Again,ifthechangingthingisatrestinthewholeprecedingtimeGA(forwemaysupposethatitisatrest),itisatrestinAalso:soifADiswithoutparts,itwillsimultaneouslybeatrestandhavechanged:foritisatrestinAandhaschangedinD。SincethenADisnotwithoutparts,itmustbedivisible,andthechangingthingmusthavechangedineverypartofit(forifithaschangedinneitherofthetwopartsintowhichADisdivided,ithasnotchangedinthewholeeither:if,ontheotherhand,itisinprocessofchangeinbothparts,itislikewiseinprocessofchangeinthewhole:andif,again,ithaschangedinoneofthetwoparts,thewholeisnottheprimarywheninwhichithaschanged:itmustthereforehavechangedineverypart)。Itisevident,then,thatwithreferencetothebeginningofchangethereisnoprimarywheninwhichchangehasbeeneffected:forthedivisionsareinfinite。
So,too,ofthatwhichhaschangedthereisnoprimarypartthathaschanged。ForsupposethatofAEtheprimarypartthathaschangedisAZ(everythingthatchangeshavingbeenshowntobedivisible):andletOIbethetimeinwhichDZhaschanged。If,then,inthewholetimeDZhaschanged,inhalfthetimetherewillbeapartthathaschanged,lessthanandthereforepriortoDZ:andagaintherewillbeanotherpartpriortothis,andyetanother,andsoontoinfinity。
Thusofthatwhichchangestherecannotbeanyprimarypartthathaschanged。Itisevident,then,fromwhathasbeensaid,thatneitherofthatwhichchangesnorofthetimeinwhichitchangesisthereanyprimarypart。
Withregard,however,totheactualsubjectofchange-thatistosaythatinrespectofwhichathingchanges-thereisadifferencetobeobserved。Forinaprocessofchangewemaydistinguishthreeterms-thatwhichchanges,thatinwhichitchanges,andtheactualsubjectofchange,e。g。theman,thetime,andthefaircomplexion。Ofthesethemanandthetimearedivisible:butwiththefaircomplexionitisotherwise(thoughtheyarealldivisibleaccidentally,forthatinwhichthefaircomplexionoranyotherqualityisanaccidentisdivisible)。Forofactualsubjectsofchangeitwillbeseenthatthosewhichareclassedasessentially,notaccidentally,divisiblehavenoprimarypart。Takethecaseofmagnitudes:letABbeamagnitude,andsupposethatithasmovedfromBtoaprimary\'where\'
G。ThenifBGistakentobeindivisible,twothingswithoutpartswillhavetobecontiguous(whichisimpossible):ifontheotherhanditistakentobedivisible,therewillbesomethingpriortoGtowhichthemagnitudehaschanged,andsomethingelseagainpriortothat,andsoontoinfinity,becausetheprocessofdivisionmaybecontinuedwithoutend。Thustherecanbenoprimary\'where\'towhichathinghaschanged。Andifwetakethecaseofquantitativechange,weshallgetalikeresult,forheretoothechangeisinsomethingcontinuous。Itisevident,then,thatonlyinqualitativemotioncantherebeanythingessentiallyindivisible。
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Noweverythingthatchangeschangestime,andthatintwosenses:
forthetimeinwhichathingissaidtochangemaybetheprimarytime,orontheotherhanditmayhaveanextendedreference,ase。g。whenwesaythatathingchangesinaparticularyearbecauseitchangesinaparticularday。Thatbeingso,thatwhichchangesmustbechanginginanypartoftheprimarytimeinwhichitchanges。
Thisisclearfromourdefinitionof\'primary\',inwhichthewordissaidtoexpressjustthis:itmayalso,however,bemadeevidentbythefollowingargument。LetChRhbetheprimarytimeinwhichthatwhichisinmotionisinmotion:and(asalltimeisdivisible)letitbedividedatK。NowinthetimeChKiteitherisinmotionorisnotinmotion,andthesameislikewisetrueofthetimeKRh。Thenifitisinmotioninneitherofthetwoparts,itwillbeatrestinthewhole:foritisimpossiblethatitshouldbeinmotioninatimeinnopartofwhichitisinmotion。Ifontheotherhanditisinmotioninonlyoneofthetwopartsofthetime,ChRhcannotbetheprimarytimeinwhichitisinmotion:foritsmotionwillhavereferencetoatimeotherthanChRh。Itmust,then,havebeeninmotioninanypartofChRh。
Andnowthatthishasbeenproved,itisevidentthateverythingthatisinmotionmusthavebeeninmotionbefore。ForifthatwhichisinmotionhastraversedthedistanceKLintheprimarytimeChRh,inhalfthetimeathingthatisinmotionwithequalvelocityandbeganitsmotionatthesametimewillhavetraversedhalfthedistance。Butifthissecondthingwhosevelocityisequalhastraversedacertaindistanceinacertaintime,theoriginalthingthatisinmotionmusthavetraversedthesamedistanceinthesametime。Hencethatwhichisinmotionmusthavebeeninmotionbefore。
Again,ifbytakingtheextrememomentofthetime-foritisthemomentthatdefinesthetime,andtimeisthatwhichisintermediatebetweenmoments-weareenabledtosaythatmotionhastakenplaceinthewholetimeChRhorinfactinanyperiodofit,motionmaylikewisebesaidtohavetakenplaceineveryothersuchperiod。Buthalfthetimefindsanextremeinthepointofdivision。Thereforemotionwillhavetakenplaceinhalfthetimeandinfactinanypartofit:forassoonasanydivisionismadethereisalwaysatimedefinedbymoments。If,then,alltimeisdivisible,andthatwhichisintermediatebetweenmomentsistime,everythingthatischangingmusthavecompletedaninfinitenumberofchanges。
Again,sinceathingthatchangescontinuouslyandhasnotperishedorceasedfromitschangemusteitherbechangingorhavechangedinanypartofthetimeofitschange,andsinceitcannotbechanginginamoment,itfollowsthatitmusthavechangedateverymomentinthetime:consequently,sincethemomentsareinfiniteinnumber,everythingthatischangingmusthavecompletedaninfinitenumberofchanges。
Andnotonlymustthatwhichischanginghavechanged,butthatwhichhaschangedmustalsopreviouslyhavebeenchanging,sinceeverythingthathaschangedfromsomethingtosomethinghaschangedinaperiodoftime。ForsupposethatathinghaschangedfromAtoB
inamoment。NowthemomentinwhichithaschangedcannotbethesameasthatinwhichitisatA(sinceinthatcaseitwouldbeinAandB
atonce):forwehaveshownabovethatthatthatwhichhaschanged,whenithaschanged,isnotinthatfromwhichithaschanged。If,ontheotherhand,itisadifferentmoment,therewillbeaperiodoftimeintermediatebetweenthetwo:for,aswesaw,momentsarenotconsecutive。Since,then,ithaschangedinaperiodoftime,andalltimeisdivisible,inhalfthetimeitwillhavecompletedanotherchange,inaquarteranother,andsoontoinfinity:consequentlywhenithaschanged,itmusthavepreviouslybeenchanging。
Moreover,thetruthofwhathasbeensaidismoreevidentinthecaseofmagnitude,becausethemagnitudeoverwhichwhatischangingchangesiscontinuous。ForsupposethatathinghaschangedfromG
toD。ThenifGDisindivisible,twothingswithoutpartswillbeconsecutive。Butsincethisisimpossible,thatwhichisintermediatebetweenthemmustbeamagnitudeanddivisibleintoaninfinitenumberofsegments:consequently,beforethechangeiscompleted,thethingchangestothosesegments。Everythingthathaschanged,therefore,mustpreviouslyhavebeenchanging:forthesameproofalsoholdsgoodofchangewithrespecttowhatisnotcontinuous,changes,thatistosay,betweencontrariesandbetweencontradictories。Insuchcaseswehaveonlytotakethetimeinwhichathinghaschangedandagainapplythesamereasoning。Sothatwhichhaschangedmusthavebeenchangingandthatwhichischangingmusthavechanged,andaprocessofchangeisprecededbyacompletionofchangeandacompletionbyaprocess:andwecannevertakeanystageandsaythatitisabsolutelythefirst。Thereasonofthisisthatnotwothingswithoutpartscanbecontiguous,andthereforeinchangetheprocessofdivisionisinfinite,justaslinesmaybeinfinitelydividedsothatonepartiscontinuallyincreasingandtheothercontinuallydecreasing。
Soitisevidentalsothatthatthatwhichhasbecomemustpreviouslyhavebeeninprocessofbecoming,andthatwhichisinprocessofbecomingmustpreviouslyhavebecome,everything(thatis)thatisdivisibleandcontinuous:thoughitisnotalwaystheactualthingthatisinprocessofbecomingofwhichthisistrue:
sometimesitissomethingelse,thatistosay,somepartofthethinginquestion,e。g。thefoundation-stoneofahouse。So,too,inthecaseofthatwhichisperishingandthatwhichhasperished:forthatwhichbecomesandthatwhichperishesmustcontainanelementofinfinitenessasanimmediateconsequenceofthefactthattheyarecontinuousthings:andsoathingcannotbeinprocessofbecomingwithouthavingbecomeorhavebecomewithouthavingbeeninprocessofbecoming。So,too,inthecaseofperishingandhavingperished:
perishingmustbeprecededbyhavingperished,andhavingperishedmustbeprecededbyperishing。Itisevident,then,thatthatwhichhasbecomemustpreviouslyhavebeeninprocessofbecoming,andthatwhichisinprocessofbecomingmustpreviouslyhavebecome:
forallmagnitudesandallperiodsoftimeareinfinitelydivisible。
Consequentlynoabsolutelyfirststageofchangecanberepresentedbyanyparticularpartofspaceortimewhichthechangingthingmayoccupy。
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Nowsincethemotionofeverythingthatisinmotionoccupiesaperiodoftime,andagreatermagnitudeistraversedinalongertime,itisimpossiblethatathingshouldundergoafinitemotioninaninfinitetime,ifthisisunderstoodtomeannotthatthesamemotionorapartofitiscontinuallyrepeated,butthatthewholeinfinitetimeisoccupiedbythewholefinitemotion。Inallcaseswhereathingisinmotionwithuniformvelocityitisclearthatthefinitemagnitudeistraversedinafinitetime。Forifwetakeapartofthemotionwhichshallbeameasureofthewhole,thewholemotioniscompletedinasmanyequalperiodsofthetimeastherearepartsofthemotion。Consequently,sincethesepartsarefinite,bothinsizeindividuallyandinnumbercollectively,thewholetimemustalsobefinite:foritwillbeamultipleoftheportion,equaltothetimeoccupiedincompletingtheaforesaidpartmultipliedbythenumberoftheparts。
Butitmakesnodifferenceevenifthevelocityisnotuniform。
ForletussupposethatthelineABrepresentsafinitestretchoverwhichathinghasbeenmovedinthegiventime,andletGDbetheinfinitetime。Nowifonepartofthestretchmusthavebeentraversedbeforeanotherpart(thisisclear,thatintheearlierandinthelaterpartofthetimeadifferentpartofthestretchhasbeentraversed:forasthetimelengthensadifferentpartofthemotionwillalwaysbecompletedinit,whetherthethinginmotionchangeswithuniformvelocityornot:andwhethertherateofmotionincreasesordiminishesorremainsstationarythisisnonethelessso),letusthentakeAEapartofthewholestretchofmotionABwhichshallbeameasureofAB。Nowthispartofthemotionoccupiesacertainperiodoftheinfinitetime:itcannotitselfoccupyaninfinitetime,forweareassumingthatthatisoccupiedbythewholeAB。AndifagainItakeanotherpartequaltoAE,thatalsomustoccupyafinitetimeinconsequenceofthesameassumption。AndifIgoontakingpartsinthisway,ontheonehandthereisnopartwhichwillbeameasureoftheinfinitetime(fortheinfinitecannotbecomposedoffinitepartswhetherequalorunequal,becausetheremustbesomeunitywhichwillbeameasureofthingsfiniteinmultitudeorinmagnitude,which,whethertheyareequalorunequal,arenonethelesslimitedinmagnitude);whileontheotherhandthefinitestretchofmotionABisacertainmultipleofAE:
consequentlythemotionABmustbeaccomplishedinafinitetime。
Moreoveritisthesamewithcomingtorestaswithmotion。Andsoitisimpossibleforoneandthesamethingtobeinfinitelyinprocessofbecomingorofperishing。Thereasoninghewillprovethatinafinitetimetherecannotbeaninfiniteextentofmotionorofcomingtorest,whetherthemotionisregularorirregular。
Forifwetakeapartwhichshallbeameasureofthewholetime,inthispartacertainfraction,notthewhole,ofthemagnitudewillbetraversed,becauseweassumethatthetraversingofthewholeoccupiesallthetime。Again,inanotherequalpartofthetimeanotherpartofthemagnitudewillbetraversed:andsimilarlyineachpartofthetimethatwetake,whetherequalorunequaltothepartoriginallytaken。Itmakesnodifferencewhetherthepartsareequalornot,ifonlyeachisfinite:foritisclearthatwhilethetimeisexhaustedbythesubtractionofitsparts,theinfinitemagnitudewillnotbethusexhausted,sincetheprocessofsubtractionisfinitebothinrespectofthequantitysubtractedandofthenumberoftimesasubtractionismade。Consequentlytheinfinitemagnitudewillnotbetraversedinfinitetime:anditmakesnodifferencewhetherthemagnitudeisinfiniteinonlyonedirectionorinboth:forthesamereasoningwillholdgood。
Thishavingbeenproved,itisevidentthatneithercanafinitemagnitudetraverseaninfinitemagnitudeinafinitetime,thereasonbeingthesameasthatgivenabove:inpartofthetimeitwilltraverseafinitemagnitudeandineachseveralpartlikewise,sothatinthewholetimeitwilltraverseafinitemagnitude。
Andsinceafinitemagnitudewillnottraverseaninfiniteinafinitetime,itisclearthatneitherwillaninfinitetraverseafiniteinafinitetime。Foriftheinfinitecouldtraversethefinite,thefinitecouldtraversetheinfinite;foritmakesnodifferencewhichofthetwoisthethinginmotion;eithercaseinvolvesthetraversingoftheinfinitebythefinite。ForwhentheinfinitemagnitudeAisinmotionapartofit,sayGD,willoccupythefiniteandthenanother,andthenanother,andsoontoinfinity。Thusthetworesultswillcoincide:theinfinitewillhavecompletedamotionoverthefiniteandthefinitewillhavetraversedtheinfinite:foritwouldseemtobeimpossibleforthemotionoftheinfiniteoverthefinitetooccurinanywayotherthanbythefinitetraversingtheinfiniteeitherbylocomotionoveritorbymeasuringit。Therefore,sincethisisimpossible,theinfinitecannottraversethefinite。
Noragainwilltheinfinitetraversetheinfiniteinafinitetime。Otherwiseitwouldalsotraversethefinite,fortheinfiniteincludesthefinite。Wecanfurtherprovethisinthesamewaybytakingthetimeasourstarting-point。
Since,then,itisestablishedthatinafinitetimeneitherwillthefinitetraversetheinfinite,northeinfinitethefinite,northeinfinitetheinfinite,itisevidentalsothatinafinitetimetherecannotbeinfinitemotion:forwhatdifferencedoesitmakewhetherwetakethemotionorthemagnitudetobeinfinite?Ifeitherofthetwoisinfinite,theothermustbesolikewise:foralllocomotionisinspace。
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Sinceeverythingtowhichmotionorrestisnaturalisinmotionoratrestinthenaturaltime,place,andmanner,thatwhichiscomingtoastand,whenitiscomingtoastand,mustbeinmotion:
forifitisnotinmotionitmustbeatrest:butthatwhichisatrestcannotbecomingtorest。Fromthisitevidentlyfollowsthatcomingtoastandmustoccupyaperiodoftime:forthemotionofthatwhichisinmotionoccupiesaperiodoftime,andthatwhichiscomingtoastandhasbeenshowntobeinmotion:consequentlycomingtoastandmustoccupyaperiodoftime。
Again,sincetheterms\'quicker\'and\'slower\'areusedonlyofthatwhichoccupiesaperiodoftime,andtheprocessofcomingtoastandmaybequickerorslower,thesameconclusionfollows。
Andthatwhichiscomingtoastandmustbecomingtoastandinanypartoftheprimarytimeinwhichitiscomingtoastand。Forifitiscomingtoastandinneitheroftwopartsintowhichthetimemaybedivided,itcannotbecomingtoastandinthewholetime,withtheresultthatthatthatwhichiscomingtoastandwillnotbecomingtoastand。Ifontheotherhanditiscomingtoastandinonlyoneofthetwopartsofthetime,thewholecannotbetheprimarytimeinwhichitiscomingtoastand:foritiscomingtoastandinthewholetimenotprimarilybutinvirtueofsomethingdistinctfromitself,theargumentbeingthesameasthatwhichweusedaboveaboutthingsinmotion。
Andjustasthereisnoprimarytimeinwhichthatwhichisinmotionisinmotion,sotoothereisnoprimarytimeinwhichthatwhichiscomingtoastandiscomingtoastand,therebeingnoprimarystageeitherofbeinginmotionorofcomingtoastand。ForletABbetheprimarytimeinwhichathingiscomingtoastand。
NowABcannotbewithoutparts:fortherecannotbemotioninthatwhichiswithoutparts,becausethemovingthingwouldnecessarilyhavebeenalreadymovedforpartofthetimeofitsmovement:andthatwhichiscomingtoastandhasbeenshowntobeinmotion。ButsinceABisthereforedivisible,thethingiscomingtoastandineveryoneofthepartsofAB:forwehaveshownabovethatitiscomingtoastandineveryoneofthepartsinwhichitisprimarilycomingtoastand。Sincethen,thatinwhichprimarilyathingiscomingtoastandmustbeaperiodoftimeandnotsomethingindivisible,andsincealltimeisinfinitelydivisible,therecannotbeanythinginwhichprimarilyitiscomingtoastand。
Noragaincantherebeaprimarytimeatwhichthebeingatrestofthatwhichisatrestoccurred:foritcannothaveoccurredinthatwhichhasnoparts,becausetherecannotbemotioninthatwhichisindivisible,andthatinwhichresttakesplaceisthesameasthatinwhichmotiontakesplace:forwedefinedastateofresttobethestateofathingtowhichmotionisnaturalbutwhichisnotinmotionwhen(thatistosayinthatinwhich)motionwouldbenaturaltoit。Again,ouruseofthephrase\'beingatrest\'alsoimpliesthatthepreviousstateofathingisstillunaltered,notonepointonlybuttwoatleastbeingthusneededtodetermineitspresence:consequentlythatinwhichathingisatrestcannotbewithoutparts。Since,thenitisdivisible,itmustbeaperiodoftime,andthethingmustbeatrestineveryoneofitsparts,asmaybeshownbythesamemethodasthatusedaboveinsimilardemonstrations。
Sotherecanbenoprimarypartofthetime:andthereasonisthatrestandmotionarealwaysinaperiodoftime,andaperiodoftimehasnoprimarypartanymorethanamagnitudeorinfactanythingcontinuous:foreverythingcontinuousisdivisibleintoaninfinitenumberofparts。
Andsinceeverythingthatisinmotionisinmotioninaperiodoftimeandchangesfromsomethingtosomething,whenitsmotioniscomprisedwithinaparticularperiodoftimeessentially-thatistosaywhenitfillsthewholeandnotmerelyapartofthetimeinquestion-itisimpossiblethatinthattimethatwhichisinmotionshouldbeoveragainstsomeparticularthingprimarily。Forifathing-itselfandeachofitsparts-occupiesthesamespaceforadefiniteperiodoftime,itisatrest:foritisinjustthesecircumstancesthatweusetheterm\'beingatrest\'-whenatonemomentafteranotheritcanbesaidwithtruththatathing,itselfanditsparts,occupiesthesamespace。Soifthisisbeingatrestitisimpossibleforthatwhichischangingtobeasawhole,atthetimewhenitisprimarilychanging,overagainstanyparticularthing(forthewholeperiodoftimeisdivisible),sothatinonepartofitafteranotheritwillbetruetosaythatthething,itselfanditsparts,occupiesthesamespace。Ifthisisnotsoandtheaforesaidpropositionistrueonlyatasinglemoment,thenthethingwillbeoveragainstaparticularthingnotforanyperiodoftimebutonlyatamomentthatlimitsthetime。Itistruethatatanymomentitisalwaysoveragainstsomethingstationary:butitisnotatrest:foratamomentitisnotpossibleforanythingtobeeitherinmotionoratrest。Sowhileitistruetosaythatthatwhichisinmotionisatamomentnotinmotionandisoppositesomeparticularthing,itcannotinaperiodoftimebeoveragainstthatwhichisatrest:
forthatwouldinvolvetheconclusionthatthatwhichisinlocomotionisatrest。
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Zeno\'sreasoning,however,isfallacious,whenhesaysthatifeverythingwhenitoccupiesanequalspaceisatrest,andifthatwhichisinlocomotionisalwaysoccupyingsuchaspaceatanymoment,theflyingarrowisthereforemotionless。Thisisfalse,fortimeisnotcomposedofindivisiblemomentsanymorethananyothermagnitudeiscomposedofindivisibles。
Zeno\'sargumentsaboutmotion,whichcausesomuchdisquietudetothosewhotrytosolvetheproblemsthattheypresent,arefourinnumber。Thefirstassertsthenon-existenceofmotiononthegroundthatthatwhichisinlocomotionmustarriveatthehalf-waystagebeforeitarrivesatthegoal。Thiswehavediscussedabove。
Thesecondistheso-called\'Achilles\',anditamountstothis,thatinaracethequickestrunnercanneverovertaketheslowest,sincethepursuermustfirstreachthepointwhencethepursuedstarted,sothattheslowermustalwaysholdalead。Thisargumentisthesameinprincipleasthatwhichdependsonbisection,thoughitdiffersfromitinthatthespaceswithwhichwesuccessivelyhavetodealarenotdividedintohalves。Theresultoftheargumentisthattheslowerisnotovertaken:butitproceedsalongthesamelinesasthebisection-argument(forinbothadivisionofthespaceinacertainwayleadstotheresultthatthegoalisnotreached,thoughthe\'Achilles\'goesfurtherinthatitaffirmsthateventhequickestrunnerinlegendarytraditionmustfailinhispursuitoftheslowest),sothatthesolutionmustbethesame。Andtheaxiomthatthatwhichholdsaleadisneverovertakenisfalse:itisnotovertaken,itistrue,whileitholdsalead:butitisovertakenneverthelessifitisgrantedthatittraversesthefinitedistanceprescribed。Thesethenaretwoofhisarguments。
Thethirdisthatalreadygivenabove,totheeffectthattheflyingarrowisatrest,whichresultfollowsfromtheassumptionthattimeiscomposedofmoments:ifthisassumptionisnotgranted,theconclusionwillnotfollow。
Thefourthargumentisthatconcerningthetworowsofbodies,eachrowbeingcomposedofanequalnumberofbodiesofequalsize,passingeachotheronarace-courseastheyproceedwithequalvelocityinoppositedirections,theoneroworiginallyoccupyingthespacebetweenthegoalandthemiddlepointofthecourseandtheotherthatbetweenthemiddlepointandthestarting-post。This,hethinks,involvestheconclusionthathalfagiventimeisequaltodoublethattime。Thefallacyofthereasoningliesintheassumptionthatabodyoccupiesanequaltimeinpassingwithequalvelocityabodythatisinmotionandabodyofequalsizethatisatrest;whichisfalse。Forinstance(sorunstheargument),letA,A……bethestationarybodiesofequalsize,B,B……thebodies,equalinnumberandinsizetoA,A……,originallyoccupyingthehalfofthecoursefromthestarting-posttothemiddleoftheA\'s,andG,G……thoseoriginallyoccupyingtheotherhalffromthegoaltothemiddleoftheA\'s,equalinnumber,size,andvelocitytoB,B……Thenthreeconsequencesfollow:
First,astheB\'sandtheG\'spassoneanother,thefirstB
reachesthelastGatthesamemomentasthefirstGreachesthelastB。SecondlyatthismomentthefirstGhaspassedalltheA\'s,whereasthefirstBhaspassedonlyhalftheA\'s,andhasconsequentlyoccupiedonlyhalfthetimeoccupiedbythefirstG,sinceeachofthetwooccupiesanequaltimeinpassingeachA。Thirdly,atthesamemomentalltheB\'shavepassedalltheG\'s:forthefirstGandthefirstBwillsimultaneouslyreachtheoppositeendsofthecourse,since(sosaysZeno)thetimeoccupiedbythefirstGinpassingeachoftheB\'sisequaltothatoccupiedbyitinpassingeachoftheA\'s,becauseanequaltimeisoccupiedbyboththefirstBandthefirstGinpassingalltheA\'s。Thisistheargument,butitpresupposedtheaforesaidfallaciousassumption。
Norinreferencetocontradictorychangeshallwefindanythingunanswerableintheargumentthatifathingischangingfromnot-white,say,towhite,andisinneithercondition,thenitwillbeneitherwhitenornot-white:forthefactthatitisnotwhollyineitherconditionwillnotprecludeusfromcallingitwhiteornot-white。Wecallathingwhiteornot-whitenotnecessarilybecauseitisbeoneortheother,butcausemostofitspartsorthemostessentialpartsofitareso:notbeinginacertainconditionisdifferentfromnotbeingwhollyinthatcondition。So,too,inthecaseofbeingandnot-beingandallotherconditionswhichstandinacontradictoryrelation:whilethechangingthingmustofnecessitybeinoneofthetwoopposites,itisneverwhollyineither。
Again,inthecaseofcirclesandspheresandeverythingwhosemotionisconfinedwithinthespacethatitoccupies,itisnottruetosaythemotioncanbenothingbutrest,onthegroundthatsuchthingsinmotion,themselvesandtheirparts,willoccupythesamepositionforaperiodoftime,andthatthereforetheywillbeatonceatrestandinmotion。Forinthefirstplacethepartsdonotoccupythesamepositionforanyperiodoftime:andinthesecondplacethewholealsoisalwayschangingtoadifferentposition:forifwetaketheorbitasdescribedfromapointAonacircumference,itwillnotbethesameastheorbitasdescribedfromBorGoranyotherpointonthesamecircumferenceexceptinanaccidentalsense,thesensethatistosayinwhichamusicalmanisthesameasaman。Thusoneorbitisalwayschangingintoanother,andthethingwillneverbeatrest。Anditisthesamewiththesphereandeverythingelsewhosemotionisconfinedwithinthespacethatitoccupies。
10
Ournextpointisthatthatwhichiswithoutpartscannotbeinmotionexceptaccidentally:i。e。itcanbeinmotiononlyinsofarasthebodyorthemagnitudeisinmotionandthepartlessisinmotionbyinclusiontherein,justasthatwhichisinaboatmaybeinmotioninconsequenceofthelocomotionoftheboat,orapartmaybeinmotioninvirtueofthemotionofthewhole。(Itmustberemembered,however,thatby\'thatwhichiswithoutparts\'Imeanthatwhichisquantitativelyindivisible(andthatthecaseofthemotionofapartisnotexactlyparallel):forpartshavemotionsbelongingessentiallyandseverallytothemselvesdistinctfromthemotionofthewhole。Thedistinctionmaybeseenmostclearlyinthecaseofarevolvingsphere,inwhichthevelocitiesofthepartsnearthecentreandofthoseonthesurfacearedifferentfromoneanotherandfromthatofthewhole;thisimpliesthatthereisnotonemotionbutmany)。Aswehavesaid,then,thatwhichiswithoutpartscanbeinmotioninthesenseinwhichamansittinginaboatisinmotionwhentheboatistravelling,butitcannotbeinmotionofitself。ForsupposethatitischangingfromABtoBG-eitherfromonemagnitudetoanother,orfromoneformtoanother,orfromsomestatetoitscontradictory-andletDbetheprimarytimeinwhichitundergoesthechange。TheninthetimeinwhichitischangingitmustbeeitherinABorinBGorpartlyinoneandpartlyintheother:forthis,aswesaw,istrueofeverythingthatischanging。Nowitcannotbepartlyineachofthetwo:forthenitwouldbedivisibleintoparts。NoragaincanitbeinBG:forthenitwillhavecompletedthechange,whereastheassumptionisthatthechangeisinprocess。
Itremains,then,thatinthetimeinwhichitischanging,itisinAB。Thatbeingso,itwillbeatrest:for,aswesaw,tobeinthesameconditionforaperiodoftimeistobeatrest。Soitisnotpossibleforthatwhichhasnopartstobeinmotionortochangeinanyway:foronlyoneconditioncouldhavemadeitpossibleforittohavemotion,viz。thattimeshouldbecomposedofmoments,inwhichcaseatanymomentitwouldhavecompletedamotionorachange,sothatitwouldneverbeinmotion,butwouldalwayshavebeeninmotion。Butthiswehavealreadyshownabovetobeimpossible:timeisnotcomposedofmoments,justasalineisnotcomposedofpoints,andmotionisnotcomposedofstarts:forthistheorysimplymakesmotionconsistofindivisiblesinexactlythesamewayastimeismadetoconsistofmomentsoralengthofpoints。
Again,itmaybeshowninthefollowingwaythattherecanbenomotionofapointorofanyotherindivisible。Thatwhichisinmotioncannevertraverseaspacegreaterthanitselfwithoutfirsttraversingaspaceequaltoorlessthanitself。Thatbeingso,itisevidentthatthepointalsomustfirsttraverseaspaceequaltoorlessthanitself。Butsinceitisindivisible,therecanbenospacelessthanitselfforittotraversefirst:soitwillhavetotraverseadistanceequaltoitself。Thusthelinewillbecomposedofpoints,forthepoint,asitcontinuallytraversesadistanceequaltoitself,willbeameasureofthewholeline。Butsincethisisimpossible,itislikewiseimpossiblefortheindivisibletobeinmotion。
Again,sincemotionisalwaysinaperiodoftimeandneverinamoment,andalltimeisdivisible,foreverythingthatisinmotiontheremustbeatimelessthanthatinwhichittraversesadistanceasgreatasitself。Forthatinwhichitisinmotionwillbeatime,becauseallmotionisinaperiodoftime;andalltimehasbeenshownabovetobedivisible。Therefore,ifapointisinmotion,theremustbeatimelessthanthatinwhichithasitselftraversedanydistance。Butthisisimpossible,forinlesstimeitmusttraverselessdistance,andthustheindivisiblewillbedivisibleintosomethinglessthanitself,justasthetimeissodivisible:thefactbeingthattheonlyconditionunderwhichthatwhichiswithoutpartsandindivisiblecouldbeinmotionwouldhavebeenthepossibilityoftheinfinitelysmallbeinginmotioninamoment:forinthetwoquestions-thatofmotioninamomentandthatofmotionofsomethingindivisible-thesameprincipleisinvolved。
Ournextpointisthatnoprocessofchangeisinfinite:foreverychange,whetherbetweencontradictoriesorbetweencontraries,isachangefromsomethingtosomething。Thusincontradictorychangesthepositiveorthenegative,asthecasemaybe,isthelimit,e。g。
beingisthelimitofcomingtobeandnot-beingisthelimitofceasingtobe:andincontrarychangestheparticularcontrariesarethelimits,sincethesearetheextremepointsofanysuchprocessofchange,andconsequentlyofeveryprocessofalteration:foralterationisalwaysdependentuponsomecontraries。Similarlycontrariesaretheextremepointsofprocessesofincreaseanddecrease:thelimitofincreaseistobefoundinthecompletemagnitudepropertothepeculiarnatureofthethingthatisincreasing,whilethelimitofdecreaseisthecompletelossofsuchmagnitude。Locomotion,itistrue,wecannotshowtobefiniteinthisway,sinceitisnotalwaysbetweencontraries。Butsincethatwhichcannotbecut(inthesensethatitisinconceivablethatitshouldbecut,theterm\'cannot\'beingusedinseveralsenses)-sinceitisinconceivablethatthatwhichinthissensecannotbecutshouldbeinprocessofbeingcut,andgenerallythatthatwhichcannotcometobeshouldbeinprocessofcomingtobe,itfollowsthatitisinconceivablethatthatwhichcannotcompleteachangeshouldbeinprocessofchangingtothattowhichitcannotcompleteachange。
If,then,itistobeassumedthatthatwhichisinlocomotionisinprocessofchanging,itmustbecapableofcompletingthechange。
Consequentlyitsmotionisnotinfinite,anditwillnotbeinlocomotionoveraninfinitedistance,foritcannottraversesuchadistance。
Itisevident,then,thataprocessofchangecannotbeinfiniteinthesensethatitisnotdefinedbylimits。Butitremainstobeconsideredwhetheritispossibleinthesensethatoneandthesameprocessofchangemaybeinfiniteinrespectofthetimewhichitoccupies。Ifitisnotoneprocess,itwouldseemthatthereisnothingtopreventitsbeinginfiniteinthissense;e。g。ifaprocessoflocomotionbesucceededbyaprocessofalterationandthatbyaprocessofincreaseandthatagainbyaprocessofcomingtobe:inthiswaytheremaybemotionforeversofarasthetimeisconcerned,butitwillnotbeonemotion,becauseallthesemotionsdonotcomposeone。Ifitistobeoneprocess,nomotioncanbeinfiniteinrespectofthetimethatitoccupies,withthesingleexceptionofrotatorylocomotion。
BookVII
1
EVERYTHINGthatisinmotionmustbemovedbysomething。Forifithasnotthesourceofitsmotioninitselfitisevidentthatitismovedbysomethingotherthanitself,fortheremustbesomethingelsethatmovesit。Ifontheotherhandithasthesourceofitsmotioninitself,letABbetakentorepresentthatwhichisinmotionessentiallyofitselfandnotinvirtueofthefactthatsomethingbelongingtoitisinmotion。NowinthefirstplacetoassumethatAB,becauseitisinmotionasawholeandisnotmovedbyanythingexternaltoitself,isthereforemovedbyitself-thisisjustasif,supposingthatKLismovingLMandisalsoitselfinmotion,weweretodenythatKMismovedbyanythingonthegroundthatitisnotevidentwhichisthepartthatismovingitandwhichthepartthatismoved。Inthesecondplacethatwhichisinmotionwithoutbeingmovedbyanythingdoesnotnecessarilyceasefromitsmotionbecausesomethingelseisatrest,butathingmustbemovedbysomethingifthefactofsomethingelsehavingceasedfromitsmotioncausesittobeatrest。Thus,ifthisisaccepted,everythingthatisinmotionmustbemovedbysomething。ForAB,whichhasbeentakentorepresentthatwhichisinmotion,mustbedivisiblesinceeverythingthatisinmotionisdivisible。Letitbedivided,then,atG。NowifGBisnotinmotion,thenABwillnotbeinmotion:forifitis,itisclearthatAGwouldbeinmotionwhileBGisatrest,andthusABcannotbeinmotionessentiallyandprimarily。ButexhypothesiABisinmotionessentiallyandprimarily。ThereforeifGB
isnotinmotionABwillbeatrest。Butwehaveagreedthatthatwhichisatrestifsomethingelseisnotinmotionmustbemovedbysomething。Consequently,everythingthatisinmotionmustbemovedbysomething:forthatwhichisinmotionwillalwaysbedivisible,andifapartofitisnotinmotionthewholemustbeatrest。
Sinceeverythingthatisinmotionmustbemovedbysomething,letustakethecaseinwhichathingisinlocomotionandismovedbysomethingthatisitselfinmotion,andthatagainismovedbysomethingelsethatisinmotion,andthatbysomethingelse,andsooncontinually:thentheseriescannotgoontoinfinity,buttheremustbesomefirstmovent。Forletussupposethatthisisnotsoandtaketheseriestobeinfinite。LetAthenbemovedbyB,BbyG,GbyD,andsoon,eachmemberoftheseriesbeingmovedbythatwhichcomesnexttoit。Thensinceexhypothesithemoventwhilecausingmotionisalsoitselfinmotion,andthemotionofthemovedandthemotionofthemoventmustproceedsimultaneously(forthemoventiscausingmotionandthemovedisbeingmovedsimultaneously)itisevidentthattherespectivemotionsofA,B,G,andeachoftheothermovedmoventsaresimultaneous。LetustakethemotionofeachseparatelyandletEbethemotionofA,ZofB,andHandOrespectivelythemotionsofGandD:forthoughtheyareallmovedseverallyonebyanother,yetwemaystilltakethemotionofeachasnumericallyone,sinceeverymotionisfromsomethingtosomethingandisnotinfiniteinrespectofitsextremepoints。ByamotionthatisnumericallyoneImeanamotionthatproceedsfromsomethingnumericallyoneandthesametosomethingnumericallyoneandthesameinaperiodoftimenumericallyoneandthesame:foramotionmaybethesamegenerically,specifically,ornumerically:itisgenericallythesameifitbelongstothesamecategory,e。g。
substanceorquality:itisspecificallythesameifitproceedsfromsomethingspecificallythesametosomethingspecificallythesame,e。g。fromwhitetoblackorfromgoodtobad,whichisnotofakindspecificallydistinct:itisnumericallythesameifitproceedsfromsomethingnumericallyonetosomethingnumericallyoneinthesameperiodoftime,e。g。fromaparticularwhitetoaparticularblack,orfromaparticularplacetoaparticularplace,inaparticularperiodoftime:foriftheperiodoftimewerenotoneandthesame,themotionwouldnolongerbenumericallyonethoughitwouldstillbespecificallyone。
Wehavedealtwiththisquestionabove。NowletusfurthertakethetimeinwhichAhascompleteditsmotion,andletitberepresentedbyK。ThensincethemotionofAisfinitethetimewillalsobefinite。Butsincethemoventsandthethingsmovedareinfinite,themotionEZHO,i。e。themotionthatiscomposedofalltheindividualmotions,mustbeinfinite。ForthemotionsofA,B,andtheothersmaybeequal,orthemotionsoftheothersmaybegreater:
butassumingwhatisconceivable,wefindthatwhethertheyareequalorsomearegreater,inbothcasesthewholemotionisinfinite。
AndsincethemotionofAandthatofeachoftheothersaresimultaneous,thewholemotionmustoccupythesametimeasthemotionofA:butthetimeoccupiedbythemotionofAisfinite:consequentlythemotionwillbeinfiniteinafinitetime,whichisimpossible。
Itmightbethoughtthatwhatwesetouttoprovehasthusbeenshown,butourargumentsofardoesnotproveit,becauseitdoesnotyetprovethatanythingimpossibleresultsfromthecontrarysupposition:forinafinitetimetheremaybeaninfinitemotion,thoughnotofonething,butofmany:andinthecasethatweareconsideringthisisso:foreachthingaccomplishesitsownmotion,andthereisnoimpossibilityinmanythingsbeinginmotionsimultaneously。Butif(asweseetobeuniversallythecase)thatwhichprimarilyismovedlocallyandcorporeallymustbeeitherincontactwithorcontinuouswiththatwhichmovesit,thethingsmovedandthemoventsmustbecontinuousorincontactwithoneanother,sothattogethertheyallformasingleunity:whetherthisunityisfiniteorinfinitemakesnodifferencetoourpresentargument;forinanycasesincethethingsinmotionareinfiniteinnumberthewholemotionwillbeinfinite,if,asistheoreticallypossible,eachmotioniseitherequaltoorgreaterthanthatwhichfollowsitintheseries:forweshalltakeasactualthatwhichistheoreticallypossible。If,then,A,B,G,DformaninfinitemagnitudethatpassesthroughthemotionEZHOinthefinitetimeK,thisinvolvestheconclusionthataninfinitemotionispassedthroughinafinitetime:andwhetherthemagnitudeinquestionisfiniteorinfinitethisisineithercaseimpossible。Thereforetheseriesmustcometoanend,andtheremustbeafirstmoventandafirstmoved:forthefactthatthisimpossibilityresultsonlyfromtheassumptionofaparticularcaseisimmaterial,sincethecaseassumedistheoreticallypossible,andtheassumptionofatheoreticallypossiblecaseoughtnottogiverisetoanyimpossibleresult。
2
Thatwhichisthefirstmovementofathing-inthesensethatitsuppliesnot\'thatforthesakeofwhich\'butthesourceofthemotion-isalwaystogetherwiththatwhichismovedbyitby\'together\'
Imeanthatthereisnothingintermediatebetweenthem)。Thisisuniversallytruewhereveronethingismovedbyanother。Andsincetherearethreekindsofmotion,local,qualitative,andquantitative,theremustalsobethreekindsofmovent,thatwhichcauseslocomotion,thatwhichcausesalteration,andthatwhichcausesincreaseordecrease。
Letusbeginwithlocomotion,forthisistheprimarymotion。
Everythingthatisinlocomotionismovedeitherbyitselforbysomethingelse。Inthecaseofthingsthataremovedbythemselvesitisevidentthatthemovedandthemoventaretogether:fortheycontainwithinthemselvestheirfirstmovent,sothatthereisnothinginbetween。Themotionofthingsthataremovedbysomethingelsemustproceedinoneoffourways:fortherearefourkindsoflocomotioncausedbysomethingotherthanthatwhichisinmotion,viz。
pulling,pushing,carrying,andtwirling。Allformsoflocomotionarereducibletothese。Thuspushingonisaformofpushinginwhichthatwhichiscausingmotionawayfromitselffollowsupthatwhichitpushesandcontinuestopushit:pushingoffoccurswhenthemoventdoesnotfollowupthethingthatithasmoved:throwingwhenthemoventcausesamotionawayfromitselfmoreviolentthanthenaturallocomotionofthethingmoved,whichcontinuesitscoursesolongasitiscontrolledbythemotionimpartedtoit。Again,pushingapartandpushingtogetherareformsrespectivelyofpushingoffandpulling:pushingapartispushingoff,whichmaybeamotioneitherawayfromthepusherorawayfromsomethingelse,whilepushingtogetherispulling,whichmaybeamotiontowardssomethingelseaswellasthepuller。Wemaysimilarlyclassifyallthevarietiesoftheselasttwo,e。g。packingandcombing:theformerisaformofpushingtogether,thelatteraformofpushingapart。Thesameistrueoftheotherprocessesofcombinationandseparation(theywillallbefoundtobeformsofpushingapartorofpushingtogether),exceptsuchasareinvolvedintheprocessesofbecomingandperishing。(Atsametimeitisevidentthatthereisnootherkindofmotionbutcombinationandseparation:fortheymayallbeapportionedtooneorotherofthosealreadymentioned。)Again,inhalingisaformofpulling,exhalingaformofpushing:andthesameistrueofspittingandofallothermotionsthatproceedthroughthebody,whethersecretiveorassimilative,theassimilativebeingformsofpulling,thesecretiveofpushingoff。Allotherkindsoflocomotionmustbesimilarlyreduced,fortheyallfallunderoneorotherofourfourheads。Andagain,ofthesefour,carryingandtwirlingaretopullingandpushing。Forcarryingalwaysfollowsoneoftheotherthreemethods,forthatwhichiscarriedisinmotionaccidentally,becauseitisinoruponsomethingthatisinmotion,andthatwhichcarriesitisindoingsobeingeitherpulledorpushedortwirled;
thuscarryingbelongstoalltheotherthreekindsofmotionincommon。Andtwirlingisacompoundofpullingandpushing,forthatwhichistwirlingathingmustbepullingonepartofthethingandpushinganotherpart,sinceitimpelsonepartawayfromitselfandanotherparttowardsitself。If,therefore,itcanbeshownthatthatwhichispushingandthatwhichispushingandpullingareadjacentrespectivelytothatwhichisbeingpushedandthatwhichisbeingpulled,itwillbeevidentthatinalllocomotionthereisnothingintermediatebetweenmovedandmovent。Buttheformerfactisclearevenfromthedefinitionsofpushingandpulling,forpushingismotiontosomethingelsefromoneselforfromsomethingelse,andpullingismotionfromsomethingelsetooneselfortosomethingelse,whenthemotionofthatwhichispullingisquickerthanthemotionthatwouldseparatefromoneanotherthetwothingsthatarecontinuous:foritisthisthatcausesonethingtobepulledonalongwiththeother。(Itmightindeedbethoughtthatthereisaformofpullingthatarisesinanotherway:thatwood,e。g。pullsfireinamannerdifferentfromthatdescribedabove。Butitmakesnodifferencewhetherthatwhichpullsisinmotionorisstationarywhenitispulling:inthelattercaseitpullstotheplacewhereitis,whileintheformeritpullstotheplacewhereitwas。)Nowitisimpossibletomoveanythingeitherfromoneselftosomethingelseorsomethingelsetooneselfwithoutbeingincontactwithit:itisevident,therefore,thatinalllocomotionthereisnothingintermediatebetweenmovedandmovent。
Noragainisthereanythingintermediatebetweenthatwhichundergoesandthatwhichcausesalteration:thiscanbeprovedbyinduction:forineverycasewefindthattherespectiveextremitiesofthatwhichcausesandthatwhichundergoesalterationareadjacent。
Forourassumptionisthatthingsthatareundergoingalterationarealteredinvirtueoftheirbeingaffectedinrespectoftheirso-calledaffectivequalities,sincethatwhichisofacertainqualityisalteredinsofarasitissensible,andthecharacteristicsinwhichbodiesdifferfromoneanotheraresensiblecharacteristics:foreverybodydiffersfromanotherinpossessingagreaterorlessernumberofsensiblecharacteristicsorinpossessingthesamesensiblecharacteristicsinagreaterorlesserdegree。Butthealterationofthatwhichundergoesalterationisalsocausedbytheabove-mentionedcharacteristics,whichareaffectionsofsomeparticularunderlyingquality。Thuswesaythatathingisalteredbybecominghotorsweetorthickordryorwhite:
andwemaketheseassertionsalikeofwhatisinanimateandofwhatisanimate,andfurther,whereanimatethingsareinquestion,wemakethembothofthepartsthathavenopowerofsense-perceptionandofthesensesthemselves。Forinawayeventhesensesundergoalteration,sincetheactivesenseisamotionthroughthebodyinthecourseofwhichthesenseisaffectedinacertainway。Wesee,then,thattheanimateiscapableofeverykindofalterationofwhichtheinanimateiscapable:buttheinanimateisnotcapableofeverykindofalterationofwhichtheanimateiscapable,sinceitisnotcapableofalterationinrespectofthesenses:moreovertheinanimateisunconsciousofbeingaffectedbyalteration,whereastheanimateisconsciousofit,thoughthereisnothingtopreventtheanimatealsobeingunconsciousofitwhentheprocessofthealterationdoesnotconcernthesenses。Since,then,thealterationofthatwhichundergoesalterationiscausedbysensiblethings,ineverycaseofsuchalterationitisevidentthattherespectiveextremitiesofthatwhichcausesandthatwhichundergoesalterationareadjacent。
Thustheairiscontinuouswiththatwhichcausesthealteration,andthebodythatundergoesalterationiscontinuouswiththeair。
Again,thecolouriscontinuouswiththelightandthelightwiththesight。Andthesameistrueofhearingandsmelling:fortheprimarymoventinrespecttothemovedistheair。Similarly,inthecaseoftasting,theflavourisadjacenttothesenseoftaste。Anditisjustthesameinthecaseofthingsthatareinanimateandincapableofsense-perception。Thustherecanbenothingintermediatebetweenthatwhichundergoesandthatwhichcausesalteration。
Nor,again,cantherebeanythingintermediatebetweenthatwhichsuffersandthatwhichcausesincrease:forthepartofthelatterthatstartstheincreasedoessobybecomingattachedinsuchawaytotheformerthatthewholebecomesone。Again,thedecreaseofthatwhichsuffersdecreaseiscausedbyapartofthethingbecomingdetached。Sothatwhichcausesincreaseandthatwhichcausesdecreasemustbecontinuouswiththatwhichsuffersincreaseandthatwhichsuffersdecreaserespectively:andiftwothingsarecontinuouswithoneanothertherecanbenothingintermediatebetweenthem。
Itisevident,therefore,thatbetweentheextremitiesofthemovedandthemoventthatarerespectivelyfirstandlastinreferencetothemovedthereisnothingintermediate。
3
Everything,wesay,thatundergoesalterationisalteredbysensiblecauses,andthereisalterationonlyinthingsthataresaidtobeessentiallyaffectedbysensiblethings。Thetruthofthisistobeseenfromthefollowingconsiderations。Ofallotherthingsitwouldbemostnaturaltosupposethatthereisalterationinfiguresandshapes,andinacquiredstatesandintheprocessesofacquiringandlosingthese:butasamatteroffactinneitherofthesetwoclassesofthingsistherealteration。
Inthefirstplace,whenaparticularformationofathingiscompleted,wedonotcallitbythenameofitsmaterial:e。g。wedonotcallthestatue\'bronze\'orthepyramid\'wax\'orthebed\'wood\',butweuseaderivedexpressionandcallthem\'ofbronze\',\'waxen\',and\'wooden\'respectively。Butwhenathinghasbeenaffectedandalteredinanywaywestillcallitbytheoriginalname:thuswespeakofthebronzeorthewaxbeingdryorfluidorhardorhot。
Andnotonlyso:wealsospeakoftheparticularfluidorhotsubstanceasbeingbronze,givingthematerialthesamenameasthatwhichweusetodescribetheaffection。
Since,therefore,havingregardtothefigureorshapeofathingwenolongercallthatwhichhasbecomeofacertainfigurebythenameofthematerialthatexhibitsthefigure,whereashavingregardtoathing\'saffectionsoralterationswestillcallitbythenameofitsmaterial,itisevidentthatbecomingsoftheformerkindcannotbealterations。
Moreoveritwouldseemabsurdeventospeakinthisway,tospeak,thatistosay,ofamanorhouseoranythingelsethathascomeintoexistenceashavingbeenaltered。Thoughitmaybetruethateverysuchbecomingisnecessarilytheresultofsomething\'sbeingaltered,theresult,e。g。ofthematerial\'sbeingcondensedorrarefiedorheatedorcooled,neverthelessitisnotthethingsthatarecomingintoexistencethatarealtered,andtheirbecomingisnotanalteration。
Again,acquiredstates,whetherofthebodyorofthesoul,arenotalterations。Forsomeareexcellencesandothersaredefects,andneitherexcellencenordefectisanalteration:excellenceisaperfection(forwhenanythingacquiresitsproperexcellencewecallitperfect,sinceitisthenifeverthatwehaveathinginitsnaturalstate:e。g。wehaveaperfectcirclewhenwehaveoneasgoodaspossible),whiledefectisaperishingofordeparturefromthiscondition。Soaswhenspeakingofahousewedonotcallitsarrivalatperfectionanalteration(foritwouldbeabsurdtosupposethatthecopingorthetilingisanalterationorthatinreceivingitscopingoritstilingahouseisalteredandnotperfected),thesamealsoholdsgoodinthecaseofexcellencesanddefectsandofthepersonsorthingsthatpossessoracquirethem:forexcellencesareperfectionsofathing\'snatureanddefectsaredeparturesfromit:
consequentlytheyarenotalterations。
Further,wesaythatallexcellencesdependuponparticularrelations。Thusbodilyexcellencessuchashealthandagoodstateofbodyweregardasconsistinginablendingofhotandcoldelementswithinthebodyindueproportion,inrelationeithertooneanotherortothesurroundingatmosphere:andinlikemannerweregardbeauty,strength,andalltheotherbodilyexcellencesanddefects。Eachofthemexistsinvirtueofaparticularrelationandputsthatwhichpossessesitinagoodorbadconditionwithregardtoitsproperaffections,whereby\'proper\'affectionsImeanthoseinfluencesthatfromthenaturalconstitutionofathingtendtopromoteordestroyitsexistence。Sincethen,relativesareneitherthemselvesalterationsnorthesubjectsofalterationorofbecomingorinfactofanychangewhatever,itisevidentthatneitherstatesnortheprocessesoflosingandacquiringstatesarealterations,thoughitmaybetruethattheirbecomingorperishingisnecessarily,likethebecomingorperishingofaspecificcharacterorform,theresultofthealterationofcertainotherthings,e。g。hotandcoldordryandwetelementsortheelements,whatevertheymaybe,onwhichthestatesprimarilydepend。Foreachseveralbodilydefectorexcellenceinvolvesarelationwiththosethingsfromwhichthepossessorofthedefectorexcellenceisnaturallysubjecttoalteration:thusexcellencedisposesitspossessortobeunaffectedbytheseinfluencesortobeaffectedbythoseofthemthatoughttobeadmitted,whiledefectdisposesitspossessortobeaffectedbythemortobeunaffectedbythoseofthemthatoughttobeadmitted。
Andthecaseissimilarinregardtothestatesofthesoul,allofwhich(likethoseofbody)existinvirtueofparticularrelations,theexcellencesbeingperfectionsofnatureandthedefectsdeparturesfromit:moreover,excellenceputsitspossessoringoodcondition,whiledefectputsitspossessorinabadcondition,tomeethisproperaffections。Consequentlythesecannotanymorethanthebodilystatesbealterations,norcantheprocessesoflosingandacquiringthembeso,thoughtheirbecomingisnecessarilytheresultofanalterationofthesensitivepartofthesoul,andthisisalteredbysensibleobjects:forallmoralexcellenceisconcernedwithbodilypleasuresandpains,whichagaindependeitheruponactingoruponrememberingoruponanticipating。Nowthosethatdependuponactionaredeterminedbysense-perception,i。e。theyarestimulatedbysomethingsensible:andthosethatdependuponmemoryoranticipationarelikewisetobetracedtosense-perception,forinthesecasespleasureisfelteitherinrememberingwhatonehasexperiencedorinanticipatingwhatoneisgoingtoexperience。Thusallpleasureofthiskindmustbeproducedbysensiblethings:andsincethepresenceinanyoneofmoraldefectorexcellenceinvolvesthepresenceinhimofpleasureorpain(withwhichmoralexcellenceanddefectarealwaysconcerned),andthesepleasuresandpainsarealterationsofthesensitivepart,itisevidentthatthelossandacquisitionofthesestatesnolessthanthelossandacquisitionofthestatesofthebodymustbetheresultofthealterationofsomethingelse。Consequently,thoughtheirbecomingisaccompaniedbyanalteration,theyarenotthemselvesalterations。
Again,thestatesoftheintellectualpartofthesoularenotalterations,noristhereanybecomingofthem。Inthefirstplaceitismuchmoretrueofthepossessionofknowledgethatitdependsuponaparticularrelation。Andfurther,itisevidentthatthereisnobecomingofthesestates。Forthatwhichispotentiallypossessedofknowledgebecomesactuallypossessedofitnotbybeingsetinmotionatallitselfbutbyreasonofthepresenceofsomethingelse:i。e。itiswhenitmeetswiththeparticularobjectthatitknowsinamannertheparticularthroughitsknowledgeoftheuniversal。(Again,thereisnobecomingoftheactualuseandactivityofthesestates,unlessitisthoughtthatthereisabecomingofvisionandtouchingandthattheactivityinquestionissimilartothese。)Andtheoriginalacquisitionofknowledgeisnotabecomingoranalteration:fortheterms\'knowing\'and\'understanding\'implythattheintellecthasreachedastateofrestandcometoastandstill,andthereisnobecomingthatleadstoastateofrest,since,aswehavesaidabove,changeatallcanhaveabecoming。
Moreover,justastosay,whenanyonehaspassedfromastateofintoxicationorsleepordiseasetothecontrarystate,thathehasbecomepossessedofknowledgeagainisincorrectinspiteofthefactthathewaspreviouslyincapableofusinghisknowledge,so,too,whenanyoneoriginallyacquiresthestate,itisincorrecttosaythathebecomespossessedofknowledge:forthepossessionofunderstandingandknowledgeisproducedbythesoul\'ssettlingdownoutoftherestlessnessnaturaltoit。Hence,too,inlearningandinformingjudgementsonmattersrelatingtotheirsense-perceptionschildrenareinferiortoadultsowingtothegreatamountofrestlessnessandmotionintheirsouls。Natureitselfcausesthesoultosettledownandcometoastateofrestfortheperformanceofsomeofitsfunctions,whilefortheperformanceofothersotherthingsdoso:butineithercasetheresultisbroughtaboutthroughthealterationofsomethinginthebody,asweseeinthecaseoftheuseandactivityoftheintellectarisingfromaman\'sbecomingsoberorbeingawakened。Itisevident,then,fromtheprecedingargumentthatalterationandbeingalteredoccurinsensiblethingsandinthesensitivepartofthesoul,and,exceptaccidentally,innothingelse。
4
Adifficultymayberaisedastowhethereverymotioniscommensurablewitheveryotherornot。Nowiftheyareallcommensurableandiftwothingstohavethesamevelocitymustaccomplishanequalmotioninanequaltime,thenwemayhaveacircumferenceequaltoastraightline,or,ofcourse,theonemaybegreaterorlessthantheother。Further,ifonethingaltersandanotheraccomplishesalocomotioninanequaltime,wemayhaveanalterationandalocomotionequaltooneanother:thusanaffectionwillbeequaltoalength,whichisimpossible。Butisitnotonlywhenanequalmotionisaccomplishedbytwothingsinanequaltimethatthevelocitiesofthetwoareequal?Nowanaffectioncannotbeequaltoalength。Thereforetherecannotbeanalterationequaltoorlessthanalocomotion:andconsequentlyitisnotthecasethateverymotioniscommensurablewitheveryother。
Buthowwillourconclusionworkoutinthecaseofthecircleandthestraightline?Itwouldbeabsurdtosupposethatthemotionofoneinacircleandofanotherinastraightlinecannotbesimilar,butthattheonemustinevitablymovemorequicklyormoreslowlythantheother,justasifthecourseofoneweredownhillandoftheotheruphill。Moreoveritdoesnotasamatteroffactmakeanydifferencetotheargumenttosaythattheonemotionmustinevitablybequickerorslowerthantheother:forthenthecircumferencecanbegreaterorlessthanthestraightline;andifsoitispossibleforthetwotobeequal。ForifinthetimeAthequicker(B)passesoverthedistanceB\'andtheslower(G)passesoverthedistanceG\',B\'willbegreaterthanG\':forthisiswhatwetook\'quicker\'tomean:andsoquickermotionalsoimpliesthatonethingtraversesanequaldistanceinlesstimethananother:consequentlytherewillbeapartofAinwhichBwillpassoverapartofthecircleequaltoG\',whileGwilloccupythewholeofAinpassingoverG\'。Nonetheless,ifthetwomotionsarecommensurable,weareconfrontedwiththeconsequencestatedabove,viz。thattheremaybeastraightlineequaltoacircle。Butthesearenotcommensurable:andsothecorrespondingmotionsarenotcommensurableeither。
Butmaywesaythatthingsarealwayscommensurableifthesametermsareappliedtothemwithoutequivocation?e。g。apen,awine,andthehighestnoteinascalearenotcommensurable:wecannotsaywhetheranyoneofthemissharperthananyother:andwhyisthis?
theyareincommensurablebecauseitisonlyequivocallythatthesameterm\'sharp\'isappliedtothem:whereasthehighestnoteinascaleiscommensurablewiththeleading-note,becausetheterm\'sharp\'
hasthesamemeaningasappliedtoboth。Canitbe,then,thattheterm\'quick\'hasnotthesamemeaningasappliedtostraightmotionandtocircularmotionrespectively?Ifso,farlesswillithavethesamemeaningasappliedtoalterationandtolocomotion。
Orshallweinthefirstplacedenythatthingsarealwayscommensurableifthesametermsareappliedtothemwithoutequivocation?Fortheterm\'much\'hasthesamemeaningwhetherappliedtowaterortoair,yetwaterandairarenotcommensurableinrespectofit:or,ifthisillustrationisnotconsideredsatisfactory,\'double\'atanyratewouldseemtohavethesamemeaningasappliedtoeach(denotingineachcasetheproportionoftwotoone),yetwaterandairarenotcommensurableinrespectofit。Buthereagainmaywenottakeupthesamepositionandsaythattheterm\'much\'isequivocal?Infacttherearesometermsofwhicheventhedefinitionsareequivocal;e。g。if\'much\'weredefinedas\'somuchandmore\',\'somuch\'wouldmeansomethingdifferentindifferentcases:
\'equal\'issimilarlyequivocal;and\'one\'againisperhapsinevitablyanequivocalterm;andif\'one\'isequivocal,sois\'two\'。Otherwisewhyisitthatsomethingsarecommensurablewhileothersarenot,ifthenatureoftheattributeinthetwocasesisreallyoneandthesame?
Canitbethattheincommensurabilityoftwothingsinrespectofanyattributeisduetoadifferenceinthatwhichisprimarilycapableofcarryingtheattribute?Thushorseanddogaresocommensurablethatwemaysaywhichisthewhiter,sincethatwhichprimarilycontainsthewhitenessisthesameinboth,viz。thesurface:andsimilarlytheyarecommensurableinrespectofsize。
Butwaterandspeecharenotcommensurableinrespectofclearness,sincethatwhichprimarilycontainstheattributeisdifferentinthetwocases。Itwouldseem,howeverthatwemustrejectthissolution,sinceclearlywecouldthusmakeallequivocalattributesunivocalandsaymerelythatthatcontainseachofthemisdifferentindifferentcases:thus\'equality\',\'sweetness\',and\'whiteness\'willseverallyalwaysbethesame,thoughthatwhichcontainsthemisdifferentindifferentcases。Moreover,itisnotanycasualthingthatiscapableofcarryinganyattribute:eachsingleattributecanbecarriedprimarilyonlybyonesinglething。
Mustwethensaythat,iftwothingsaretobecommensurableinrespectofanyattribute,notonlymusttheattributeinquestionbeapplicabletobothwithoutequivocation,buttheremustalsobenospecificdifferenceseitherintheattributeitselforinthatwhichcontainstheattribute-thatthese,Imean,mustnotbedivisibleinthewayinwhichcolourisdividedintokinds?Thusinthisrespectonethingwillnotbecommensurablewithanother,i。e。wecannotsaythatoneismorecolouredthantheotherwhereonlycolouringeneralandnotanyparticularcolourismeant;buttheyarecommensurableinrespectofwhiteness。
Similarlyinthecaseofmotion:twothingsareofthesamevelocityiftheyoccupyanequaltimeinaccomplishingacertainequalamountofmotion。Suppose,then,thatinacertaintimeanalterationisundergonebyonehalfofabody\'slengthandalocomotionisaccomplishedtheotherhalf:canbesaythatinthiscasethealterationisequaltothelocomotionandofthesamevelocity?Thatwouldbeabsurd,andthereasonisthattherearedifferentspeciesofmotion。Andifinconsequenceofthiswemustsaythattwothingsareofequalvelocityiftheyaccomplishlocomotionoveranequaldistanceinanequaltime,wehavetoadmittheequalityofastraightlineandacircumference。What,then,isthereasonofthis?Isitthatlocomotionisagenusorthatlineisagenus?(Wemayleavethetimeoutofaccount,sincethatisoneandthesame。)Ifthelinesarespecificallydifferent,thelocomotionsalsodifferspecificallyfromoneanother:forlocomotionisspecificallydifferentiatedaccordingtothespecificdifferentiationofthatoverwhichittakesplace。(Itisalsosimilarlydifferentiated,itwouldseem,accordinglyastheinstrumentofthelocomotionisdifferent:thusiffeetaretheinstrument,itiswalking,ifwingsitisflying;
butperhapsweshouldrathersaythatthisisnotso,andthatinthiscasethedifferencesinthelocomotionaremerelydifferencesofpostureinthatwhichisinmotion。)Wemaysay,therefore,thatthingsareofequalvelocityinanequaltimetheytraversethesamemagnitude:andwhenIcallit\'thesame\'Imeanthatitcontainsnospecificdifferenceandthereforenodifferenceinthemotionthattakesplaceoverit。Sowehavenowtoconsiderhowmotionisdifferentiated:andthisdiscussionservestoshowthatthegenusisnotaunitybutcontainsapluralitylatentinitanddistinctfromit,andthatinthecaseofequivocaltermssometimesthedifferentsensesinwhichtheyareusedarefarremovedfromoneanother,whilesometimesthereisacertainlikenessbetweenthem,andsometimesagaintheyarenearlyrelatedeithergenericallyoranalogically,withtheresultthattheyseemnottobeequivocalthoughtheyreallyare。
When,then,isthereadifferenceofspecies?Isanattributespecificallydifferentifthesubjectisdifferentwhiletheattributeisthesame,ormusttheattributeitselfbedifferentaswell?Andhowarewetodefinethelimitsofaspecies?Whatwillenableustodecidethatparticularinstancesofwhitenessorsweetnessarethesameordifferent?Isitenoughthatitappearsdifferentinonesubjectfromwhatappearsinanother?Ormusttherebenosamenessatall?Andfurther,wherealterationisinquestion,howisonealterationtobeofequalvelocitywithanother?Onepersonmaybecuredquicklyandanotherslowly,andcuresmayalsobesimultaneous:sothat,recoveryofhealthbeinganalteration,wehaveherealterationsofequalvelocity,sinceeachalterationoccupiesanequaltime。Butwhatalteration?Wecannotherespeakofan\'equal\'
alteration:whatcorrespondsinthecategoryofqualitytoequalityinthecategoryofquantityis\'likeness\'。However,letussaythatthereisequalvelocitywherethesamechangeisaccomplishedinanequaltime。Arewe,then,tofindthecommensurabilityinthesubjectoftheaffectionorintheaffectionitself?Inthecasethatwehavejustbeenconsideringitisthefactthathealthisoneandthesamethatenablesustoarriveattheconclusionthattheonealterationisneithermorenorlessthantheother,butthatbotharealike。Ifontheotherhandtheaffectionisdifferentinthetwocases,e。g。
whenthealterationstaketheformofbecomingwhiteandbecominghealthyrespectively,herethereisnosamenessorequalityorlikenessinasmuchasthedifferenceintheaffectionsatoncemakesthealterationsspecificallydifferent,andthereisnounityofalterationanymorethantherewouldbeunityoflocomotionunderlikeconditions。Sowemustfindouthowmanyspeciesthereareofalterationandoflocomotionrespectively。Nowifthethingsthatareinmotion-thatistosay,thethingstowhichthemotionsbelongessentiallyandnotaccidentally-differspecifically,thentheirrespectivemotionswillalsodifferspecifically:ifontheotherhandtheydiffergenericallyornumerically,themotionsalsowilldiffergenericallyornumericallyasthecasemaybe。Buttherestillremainsthequestionwhether,supposingthattwoalterationsareofequalvelocity,weoughttolookforthisequalityinthesameness(orlikeness)oftheaffections,orinthethingsaltered,toseee。g。
whetheracertainquantityofeachhasbecomewhite。Oroughtwenotrathertolookforitinboth?Thatistosay,thealterationsarethesameordifferentaccordingastheaffectionsarethesameordifferent,whiletheyareequalorunequalaccordingasthethingsalteredareequalorunequal。
Andnowwemustconsiderthesamequestioninthecaseofbecomingandperishing:howisonebecomingofequalvelocitywithanother?
Theyareofequalvelocityifinanequaltimethereareproducedtwothingsthatarethesameandspecificallyinseparable,e。g。twomen(notmerelygenericallyinseparablease。g。twoanimals)。
Similarlyoneisquickerthantheotherifinanequaltimetheproductisdifferentinthetwocases。Istateitthusbecausewehavenopairoftermsthatwillconveythis\'difference\'inthewayinwhichunlikenessisconveyed。Ifweadoptthetheorythatitisnumberthatconstitutesbeing,wemayindeedspeakofa\'greaternumber\'
anda\'lessernumber\'withinthesamespecies,butthereisnocommontermthatwillincludebothrelations,noraretheretermstoexpresseachofthemseparatelyinthesamewayasweindicateahigherdegreeorpreponderanceofanaffectionby\'more\',ofaquantityby\'greater。\'
5
Nowsincewhereverthereisamovent,itsmotionalwaysactsuponsomething,isalwaysinsomething,andalwaysextendstosomething(by\'isalwaysinsomething\'Imeanthatitoccupiesatime:andby\'extendstosomething\'Imeanthatitinvolvesthetraversingofacertainamountofdistance:foratanymomentwhenathingiscausingmotion,italsohascausedmotion,sothattheremustalwaysbeacertainamountofdistancethathasbeentraversedandacertainamountoftimethathasbeenoccupied)。then,AthemovementhavemovedBadistanceGinatimeD,theninthesametimethesameforceAwillmove1/2BtwicethedistanceG,andin1/2Ditwillmove1/2BthewholedistanceforG:thustherulesofproportionwillbeobserved。Againifagivenforcemoveagivenweightacertaindistanceinacertaintimeandhalfthedistanceinhalfthetime,halfthemotivepowerwillmovehalftheweightthesamedistanceinthesametime。LetErepresenthalfthemotivepowerAandZhalftheweightB:thentheratiobetweenthemotivepowerandtheweightintheonecaseissimilarandproportionatetotheratiointheother,sothateachforcewillcausethesamedistancetobetraversedinthesametime。ButifEmoveZadistanceGinatimeD,itdoesnotnecessarilyfollowthatEcanmovetwiceZhalfthedistanceGinthesametime。If,then,AmoveBadistanceGinatimeD,itdoesnotfollowthatE,beinghalfofA,willinthetimeDorinanyfractionofitcauseBtotraverseapartofGtheratiobetweenwhichandthewholeofGisproportionatetothatbetweenAandE(whateverfractionofAEmaybe):infactitmightwellbethatitwillcausenomotionatall;foritdoesnotfollowthat,ifagivenmotivepowercausesacertainamountofmotion,halfthatpowerwillcausemotioneitherofanyparticularamountorinanylengthoftime:otherwiseonemanmightmoveaship,sinceboththemotivepoweroftheship-haulersandthedistancethattheyallcausetheshiptotraversearedivisibleintoasmanypartsastherearemen。HenceZeno\'sreasoningisfalsewhenhearguesthatthereisnopartofthemilletthatdoesnotmakeasound:forthereisnoreasonwhyanysuchpartshouldnotinanylengthoftimefailtomovetheairthatthewholebushelmovesinfalling。Infactitdoesnotofitselfmoveevensuchaquantityoftheairasitwouldmoveifthispartwerebyitself:fornopartevenexistsotherwisethanpotentially。
Ifontheotherhandwehavetwoforceseachofwhichseparatelymovesoneoftwoweightsagivendistanceinagiventime,thentheforcesincombinationwillmovethecombinedweightsanequaldistanceinanequaltime:forinthiscasetherulesofproportionapply。
Thendoesthisholdgoodofalterationandofincreasealso?
Surelyitdoes,forinanygivencasewehaveadefinitethingthatcauseincreaseandadefinitethingthatsuffersincrease,andtheonecausesandtheothersuffersacertainamountofincreaseinacertainamountoftime。Similarlywehaveadefinitethingthatcausesalterationandadefinitethingthatundergoesalteration,andacertainamount,orratherdegree,ofalterationiscompletedinacertainamountoftime:thusintwiceasmuchtimetwiceasmuchalterationwillbecompletedandconverselytwiceasmuchalterationwilloccupytwiceasmuchtime:andthealterationofhalfofitsobjectwilloccupyhalfasmuchtimeandinhalfasmuchtimehalfoftheobjectwillbealtered:oragain,inthesameamountoftimeitwillbealteredtwiceasmuch。
Ontheotherhandifthatwhichcausesalterationorincreasecausesacertainamountofincreaseoralterationrespectivelyinacertainamountoftime,itdoesnotnecessarilyfollowthathalftheforcewilloccupytwicethetimeinalteringorincreasingtheobject,orthatintwicethetimethealterationorincreasewillbecompletedbyit:itmayhappenthattherewillbenoalterationorincreaseatall,thecasebeingthesameaswiththeweight。
BookVIII