the six enneads-第170节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
1。 God； or some one of the gods； in sending the souls to their birth； placed eyes in the face to catch the light and allotted to each sense the appropriate organ； providing thus for the safety which comes by seeing and hearing in time and； seeking or avoiding under guidance of touch。 But what led to this provision？ It cannot be that other forms of being were produced first and that； these perishing in the absence of the senses； the maker at last supplied the means by which men and other living beings might avert disaster。 We may be told that it lay within the divine knowledge that animal life would be exposed to heat and cold and other such experiences incident to body and that in this knowledge he provided the senses and the organs apt to their activity in order that the living total might not fall an easy prey。 Now； either he gave these organs to souls already possessing the sensitive powers or he gave senses and organs alike。 But if the souls were given the powers as well as the organs； then； souls though they were； they had no sensation before that giving。 If they possessed these powers from the moment of being souls and became souls in order to their entry into process； then it is of their very nature to belong to process； unnatural to them to be outside of process and within the Intellectual： they were made in the intent that they should belong to the alien and have their being amid evil； the divine provision would consist in holding them to their disaster； this is God's reasoned purpose； this the plan entire。 Now what is the foundation of reasoned plan？ Precedent planning； it may be； but still we are forced back to some thing or things determining it。 What would these be here？ Either sense…perception or intellect。 But sense…perception it cannot in this case be： intellect is left； yet； starting from intellect； the conclusion will be knowledge； not therefore the handling of the sensible； what begins with the intellectual and proceeds to the intellectual can certainly not end in dealings with the sensible。 Providence； then； whether over living beings or over any part of the universe was never the outcome of plan。 There is in fact no planning There； we speak of reasoned purpose in the world of things only to convey that the universe is of the character which in the later order would point to a wise purposing； Providence implies that things are as； in the later order； a competent foreplanning would produce them。 Reasoning serves； in beings not of the order above that need； to supply for the higher power； foresight is necessary in the lack of power which could dispense with it； it labours towards some one occurrence in preference to another and it goes in a sort of dread of the unfitting； where only the fitting can occur； there is no foreseeing。 So with planning； where one only of two things can be； what place is there for plan？ The alone and one and utterly simplex cannot involve a 〃this to avert that〃： if the 〃this〃 could not be； the 〃that〃 must； the serviceable thing appeared and at once approved itself so。 But surely this is foreseeing； deliberating： are we not back at what was said at the beginning； that God did to this end give both the senses and the powers； however perplexing that giving be？ No： all turns on the necessary completeness of Act； we cannot think anything belonging to God to be other than a whole and all and therefore in anything of God's that all must be contained； God therefore must take in the future； present beforehand。 Certainly there is no later in the divine； what is There as present is future for elsewhere。 If then the future is present； it must be present as having been foreconceived for later coming to be； at that divine stage therefore it lacks nothing and therefore can never lack； all existed； eternally and in such a way that at the later stage any particular thing may be said to exist for this or that purpose； the All； in its extension and so to speak unfolding； is able to present succession while yet it is simultaneous； this is because it contains the cause of all as inherent to itself。 2。 Thus we have even here the means of knowing the nature of the Intellectual…Principle； though； seeing it more closely than anything else； we still see it at less than its worth。 We know that it exists but its cause we do not see； or； if we do； we see that cause as something apart。 We see a man… or an eye； if you like… but this is an image or part of an image； what is in that Principle is at once Man and the reason of his being； for There man… or eye… must be； itself； an intellective thing and a cause of its being； it could not exist at all unless it were that cause； whereas here； everything partial is separate and so is the cause of each。 In the Intellectual； all is at one so that the thing is identical with the cause。 Even here the thing and its cause are often identical… an eclipse furnishes an example… what then is there to prevent other things too being identical with their cause and this cause being the essence of the thing？ It must be so； and by this search after the cause the thing's essence is reached； for the essence of a thing is its cause。 I am not here saying that the informing Idea is the cause of the thing… though this is true… but that the Idea itself； unfolded； reveals the cause inherent in it。 A thing of inactivity； even though alive； cannot include its own cause； but where could a Forming…Idea； a member of the Intellectual…Principle； turn in quest of its cause？ We may be answered 〃In the Intellectual…Principle〃； but the two are not distinct； the Idea is the Intellectual…Principle； and if that Principle must contain the Ideas complete； their cause must be contained in them。 The Intellectual…Principle itself contains every cause of the things of its content； but these of its content are identically Intellectual…Principle； each of them Intellectual…Principle； none of them； thus； can lack its own cause； each springs into being carrying with it the reason of its being。 No result of chance； each must rise complete with its cause； it is an integral and so includes the excellence bound up with the cause。 This is how all participants in the Idea are put into possession of their cause。 In our universe； a coherent total of multiplicity； the several items are linked each to the other； and by the fact that it is an all every cause is included in it： even in the particular thing the part is discernibly related to the whole； for the parts do not come into being separately and successively but are mutually cause and caused at one and the same moment。 Much more in the higher realm must all the singles exist for the whole and each for itself： if then that world is the conjoint reality of all； of an all not chance…ruled and not sectional； the cause There must include the causes： every item must hold； in its very nature； the uncaused possession of its cause； uncaused； independent and standing apart from cause； they must be self…contained； cause and all。 Further； since nothing There is chance…sprung； and the multiplicity in each comprehends the entire content； then the cause of every member can be named； the cause was present from the beginning； inherent； not a cause but a fact of the being； or； rather； cause and manner of being were one。 What could an Idea have； as cause； over and above the Intellectual…Principle？ It is a thought of that Principle and cannot； at that； be considered as anything but a perfect product。 If it is thus perfect we cannot speak of anything in which it is lacking nor cite any reason for such lack。 That thing must be present； and we can say why。 The why is inherent； therefore； in the entity； that is to say in every thought and activity of the Intellectual…Principle。 Take for example the Idea of Man； Man entire is found to contribute to it； he is in that Idea in all his fulness including everything that from the beginning belonged to Man。 If Man were not complete There； so that there were something to be added to the Idea； that additional must belong to a derivative； but Man exists from eternity and must therefore be complete； the man born is the derivative。 3。 What then is there to prevent man having been the object of planning There？ No： all stands in that likeness； nothing to be added or taken away； this planning and reasoning is based only on an assumption； things are taken to be in process and this suggests planning and reasoning； insist on the eternity of the process and planning falls to the ground。 There can be no planning over the eternal； that would imply forgetfulness of a first state； further； if the second state were better； things stood ill at first； if they stood well； so they must remain。 Only in conjunction with their causes are things good； even in this sphere a thing is good in virtue of being complete； form means that the thing is complete； the Matter duly controlled； this control means that nothing has been left crude； but something is so left if anything belonging to the shape be missing…eye； or other part。 Thus to state cause is to state the thing complete。 Why eyes or eyebrows？ For completion： if you say 〃For preservation；〃 you affirm an indwelling safeguard of the essence； something contributor
