Part 5

Moreover it is well-known that the generic (universal) form, concerning which it is held that it is divisible only into genera and differentia, if there be nevertheless some of these two that is not divisible into genera and differentia, then _this some_ will be in itself utterly indivisible in every sense and respect; and consequently what is compounded, of these two of that _some_, will also be indivisible, seeing that it is well-known, for example, that _man_ cannot be conceived except along with the two conceptions _living_ and _rational_ (_speaking_). In short, it is not possible to conceive a generic universal form that has genus and differens save by conceiving them all together. Therefore, the form which we have described as having taken up its abode in the body has not taken up its abode therein, which is a contradiction, and therefore the diametrically contrary to it is true, namely our assertion that a generic (universal) mental form does not abide in any corporeal body whatsoever; and consequently the essence in which a generic mental form abides is a spiritual essence, not qualified with the qualities of bodies, which is what we call the Rational Speaking Soul. And this is what we set out to show.

SUB-SECTION B:--A second of the proofs, which corroborate this claim and confirm (correct) it, is what I am now going to set forth. I say then that body of and through itself does not effect conception of mentally-grasped things, since all bodies have in common that they are body, and differ amongst each other in capacity for conceiving mentally-grasped things. Wherefore living (animal) bodies are qualified to conceive mentally-grasped things only by and through certain powers that are put within them. And if these powers conceive by and through themselves, without the cooperation of the body, it follows that they are in themselves fit and apt to be an abode for mental forms. And what is thus qualified is itself an essence; consequently if such conception is occurring, they, namely these powers, are essences. Now, it is clear that this power conceives mentally-grasped things by and through itself only, and not at all through cooperation of body; for, we contend, concerning whatsoever perceives any thing through cooperation of body, that the oftener wearying perceptibles are repeated upon it the more do they tend towards ruining and spoiling it and producing dullness and exhaustion in it, it being nothing but a frail instrument and organ whose strength has been reduced, owing to the over-tasking imposed upon it on the power’s employing it; and for this cause the seeing power, for example, gets weaker the oftener it persists in looking at the sun’s shape. So too the hearing power, if loud sounds reach it repeatedly.

Whereas this power, to wit the one that conceives mentally-grasped things, the more it perceives wearying mental conceptions the stronger it becomes for its work [the more efficient it becomes], wherefore it has no need for an instrument in its operation of perceiving, and hence it perceives of itself. Now, we have already shown that every power perceiving of its own self is an essence; so then this power is an essence, which is what we set out to show.

SUB-SECTION C:--Among the proofs that guide to this claim is what I shall now show, so I say as follows.

The indwelling (immanence) of form in body is at once both passive and receptive--passivity of the form and receptivity of the body. And whereas one and the same thing excludes the possibility of its being both doer and done, it becomes clear unto us that a body is not able of itself to dress itself in one mentally-grasped form and strip off another. Yet nevertheless we see a man consciously and with forethought conceiving and proceeding from one mentally-grasped form unto another, which operation is not devoid of being either an act peculiar to body, or else an act peculiar to the rational speaking power, or finally an act commonly shared between them both. It has been already shown [perhaps he here refers to the Second Section of this Essay] that it is not licit to attribute action and doing peculiarly and specially to body; nay I will say and not even to body conjointly with the rational power; since body is a co-adjutor of that power, helping towards affording an abode for any form whatsoever in that body’s own self, seeing that it has become known to us that body along with the power will both become fit subjects for this form that has thus arisen; a subject however is to be stigmatized with nothing beyond simple passivity alone, whereas both these two are [aggressive] acts and deeds. Consequently this is an act peculiar to the power. And everything that, in its act which emanates from its own self, has had no need for another thing to help it, will not need in its own structure anything beyond its own self to help it, seeing that independence or isolation in the structure of self precedes independence or isolation in the putting forth of self-emanating action. Therefore this power is an essence standing of itself [independent of body]; and consequently the rational soul is an essence.

SUB-SECTION D:--Among the proofs that guide (point) to the validity of this contention is what I am now going to say.

No doubt a live body and live organs or instruments, if they accomplish their growing age and the age of standstill, begin to wither and diminish, to lose power and waste away, which [in human beings] is on passing forty years. Now, were the rational reasoning power a corporeal organic power, then there would be found not one single individual of mankind at these years of his age but what this power of his would have begun to diminish. But the case in most people is quite otherwise, nay indeed it is usual amongst the majority that as to intellectual power they improve in cleverness and increase in insight. Hence the structure of the rational power is not upheld by the body nor by the organ; and hence this power is an essence standing of itself, which is what we wished to show.

SUB-SECTION E:--Among the proofs for the validity of this contention is the following also.

So much at least is clear, namely that not one of the bodily powers has the strength for performing infinite multifarious actions; and this is so because the strength of the one half of such a body will inevitably be found to be weaker than the strength of the whole; and the weaker is less powerful to perform and overcome than the stronger; and whatsoever, other than the infinite, gets less is itself finite; hence the strength of each one of the two halves is finite; hence too their sum is finite, since that the sum of two finites is itself finite, whereas it has been contended that it is infinite, which is a contradiction. Hence the sound view is that the powers of bodies are not powerful enough to perform infinite manifold deeds. The rational power however is powerful enough to perform many infinite deeds, seeing that forms geometrical, arithmetical, and philosophical, which the rational power has to perform among other of its acts, are infinite. Therefore the rational power is not standing by and through the body, and hence therefore it stands of itself and is an essence of itself.

Further, so much at least is clear that the corruption of one of two conjoined essences does not entail and enjoin the corruption of the other: wherefore the death of the body does not render obligatory the death of the soul, which is what we wanted to show.

SECTION TENTH

=To Establish that there is a Mental Essence, Distinct from Bodies, which stands towards Human Souls in the stead of Light toward Sight, and in the stead of a Source or Fountain; and To Establish that Souls, if they leave the Bodies, unite therewith.=

As to the mental essence, we find it in infants devoid of every mental form. Then, later on in life, we find in it self-evident axiomatic mentally-grasped notions, without effort of learning and without reflection. So that the arising of them within it will not fail of being either through sense and experience, or else through divine outpouring reaching to it. But it is not licit to hold that the arising of such primary mental form will be through experience, seeing that experience does not afford and supply a necessary and inevitable judgment, since experience does not go so far as to believe or disbelieve definitively the existence of something different to the judgment drawn from what it has perceived. Indeed experience, although it shows us that every animal we perceive moves on chewing the lower jaw, yet it does not supply us with a convincing judgment that such is the case with every animal; for were this true, it would not be licit for the crocodile to exist which moves his upper jaw on chewing. Therefore not every judgment we have arrived at, as to things, through our sensuous perception, is applicable to and holds good of all that we have perceived or have not perceived of such things, but it may so be that what we have not perceived differ from what we have perceived. Whereas our conception that a whole is greater than a part is not [formed] because we have sensuously felt every part and every whole that are so related, seeing that even such an experience will not guaranty to us that there will be no whole and no part differently related.

Likewise the dictum concerning the impossibility of two opposites (contrasts) coming together in one and the same thing, and that things which are equal to one and the same thing are equal to one another. And likewise the dictum concerning our holding proofs to be true if they be valid, for the belief in and conviction of their validity does not become valid by and through learning and effort of study; else this would draw out ad infinitum [inasmuch as each proof rests upon given presuppositions, whose validity would in its turn have to be proved]. Nor is this gained from sense, for the reason that we have mentioned. Consequently both the latter as well as the former [certainty] are gained from a godly outflow reaching unto the rational soul, and the rational soul reaching unto it; so that this mental form arises therein. Also, as to this outflow, unless it have in its own self such a generic (universal) mental form, it would not be able to engrave it within the rational soul. Hence such form is in the outflow’s own self. And whatsoever Self has in it a mental form is an essence, other than a body, and not within a body, and standing of itself. Therefore this outflow unto which the soul reaches is a mental essence, not a body, not in a body, standing of itself, and one which stands towards the rational soul in the stead of light to sight; yet however with this difference, namely that light supplies unto sight the power of perceiving only, and not the perceived form, whereas this essence supplies, exclusively by and through its sole and single self, unto the rational power, the power of perceiving, and brings about therein the perceived forms also, as we have set forth above.

Now, if the rational soul’s conceiving rational forms be a source of completion and perfection for it, and be effected and brought about on reaching unto this essence, and if worldly earthly labors, such as its thought, its sorrows and joy, its longings, hamper the power and withold it from reaching thereunto, so that it will not reach thereunto save only through abandoning these powers and getting rid of them, there being nothing to stop it from continued Reaching save the living body,--then consequently if it quit the body it will not cease to be reaching unto its Perfector and attached to Him.

Again, what reaches unto its Perfector and attaches itself to Him is safe against corruption, all the more so if even during disconnection from Him it has not undergone corruption. Wherefore the soul after death shall ever remain and continue unwavering [and undying] and attached to this noble essence, which is called generic universal mind, and in the language of the lawgivers the Divine Knowledge.

As to the other powers, such as the animal and the vegetable: Whereas every one of them performs its proper peculiar action only by and through the live body, and in no other way, consequently they will never quit live bodies, but will die with their death, seeing that every thing which is, and yet has no action, is idle and useless. Yet nevertheless the rational soul does gain, by its connection with them, from them their choicest and purest lye and wash, and leaves for death the husks. And were it not so, the rational soul would not use them in consciousness. Wherefore the rational soul shall surely depart (migrate, travel) taking along the kernels of the other powers after death ensues.

We have thus made a clear statement concerning souls, and got at which souls are [ever]lasting, and which of them will not be fitted out and armed with [ever]lastingness. It still remains for us, in connection with this research, to show how a soul exists within live bodies, and the aim and end for which it is found within the same, and what measure will be bestowed upon it, in the hereafter, of eternal delight and perpetual punishment, and of [temporary] punishment that ceases after a duration of time that shall ensue upon the decease of the live body; and to treat of the notion that is designated by the lawgivers as intercession (mediation), and of the quality (attribute) of the four angels and the throne-bearers. Were it not however that the custom prevails to isolate such research from the research whose path we have been treading, out of high esteem and reverence for it, and to make the latter research precede in order of treatment the former, to the end of levelling the road and paving it solidly, I should (would) have followed up these [ten] sections with a full and complete treatment of the subject dealt with in them. Notwithstanding all this, were it not for fear of wearying by prolixity, I would have disregarded the demands of custom herein. Thus then whatever it may please the Prince--God prolong his highness--to command as to treating singly of such notions, I shall put forth, in humble compliance and obedience, my utmost effort, God Almighty willing; and may wisdom never cease to revive through him after fainting, to flourish after withering, so that its sway may be renewed through his sway, and through his days its days may come back again, and that through his prestige the prestige of its devotees be exalted, and the seekers after its favor abound, so God almighty will.

IT IS ENDED.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

Archaic, obsolete, and unusual spellings and words have been maintained. Obvious misspellings have been fixed, as detailed below. Transliterations in the original book have not been edited.

Changes to the text from the original book follow:

Page 7 In this book: and writings, and his systems of medicine Originally: and writings, and his systems of medecine

Page 13 In this book: may the Most High GOD have mercy upon him, Originally: may the Most High GOD have mercy upom him,

Page 16 In this book: science of medicine. Originally: science of medecine.

Page 32 In this book: simple constituents taken singly. Originally: simple consituents taken singly.

Page 32 In this book: (alloy, amalgam)--it is clear I say in such Originally: (aloy, amalgam)--it is clear I say in such

Page 52 In this book: into such of its pores as are empty only, and Originally: into such of its its pores as are empty only, and

Page 72 In this book: to the certainty of the Creator’s being Originally: to the certainty ef the Creator’s being

Page 76 In this book: through their abandonment, unto impetuosity Originally: through their abandonnment, unto impetuosity

Page 86 In this book: guide (point) to the validity of this contention is Originally: guide (point) to the validity of this contension is

Page 87 In this book: validity of this contention is the following also. Originally: validity of this contension is the following also.

Page 90 In this book: such an experience will not guaranty to us that Originally: such an experience will not garanty to us that