the six enneads-第33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！
e absence the Reality would still be complete。 It will sometimes come and go； sometimes be inextricably attached； so that there are two forms of Quality； the moveable and the fixed。 3。 The Whiteness； therefore； in a human being is； clearly； to be classed not as a quality but as an activity… the act of a power which can make white； and similarly what we think of as qualities in the Intellectual Realm should be known as activities； they are activities which to our minds take the appearance of quality from the fact that； differing in character among themselves； each of them is a particularity which； so to speak； distinguishes those Realities from each other。 What； then； distinguishes Quality in the Intellectual Realm from that here； if both are Acts？ The difference is that these ＇〃Quality…Activities〃＇ in the Supreme do not indicate the very nature of the Reality ＇as do the corresponding Activities here＇ nor do they indicate variations of substance or of ＇essential＇ character； they merely indicate what we think of as Quality but in the Intellectual Realm must still be Activity。 In other words this thing； considered in its aspect as possessing the characteristic property of Reality is by that alone recognised as no mere Quality。 But when our reason separates what is distinctive in these ＇〃Quality…Activities〃＇… not in the sense of abolishing them but rather as taking them to itself and making something new of them… this new something is Quality： reason has； so to speak； appropriated a portion of Reality； that portion manifest to it on the surface。 By this analogy； warmth； as a concomitant of the specific nature of fire； may very well be no quality in fire but an Idea…Form belonging to it； one of its activities； while being merely a Quality in other things than fire： as it is manifested in any warm object； it is not a mode of Reality but merely a trace； a shadow； an image； something that has gone forth from its own Reality… where it was an Act… and in the warm object is a quality。 All； then； that is accident and not Act； all but what is Idea…form of the Reality； all that merely confers pattern； all this is Quality： qualities are characteristics and modes other than those constituting the substratum of a thing。 But the Archetypes of all such qualities； the foundation in which they exist primarily； these are Activities of the Intellectual Beings。 And； one and the same thing cannot be both Quality and non…quality： the thing void of Real…Existence is Quality； but the thing accompanying Reality is either Form or Activity： there is no longer self…identity when； from having its being in itself； anything comes to be in something else with a fall from its standing as Form and Activity。 Finally； anything which is never Form but always accidental to something else is Quality unmixed and nothing more。 SEVENTH TRACTATE。
ON COMPLETE TRANSFUSION。
1。 Some enquiry must be made into what is known as the complete transfusion of material substances。 Is it possible that fluid be blended with fluid in such a way that each penetrate the other through and through？ or… a difference of no importance if any such penetration occurs… that one of them pass completely through the other？ Those that admit only contact need not detain us。 They are dealing with mixture； not with the coalescence which makes the total a thing of like parts； each minutest particle being composed of all the combined elements。 But there are those who； admitting coalescence； confine it to the qualities： to them the material substances of two bodies are in contact merely； but in this contact of the matter they find footing for the qualities of each。 Their view is plausible because it rejects the notion of total admixture and because it recognizes that the masses of the mixing bodies must be whittled away if there is to be mixture without any gap； if； that is to say； each substance must be divided within itself through and through for complete interpenetration with the other。 Their theory is confirmed by the cases in which two mixed substances occupy a greater space than either singly； especially a space equal to the conjoined extent of each： for； as they point out； in an absolute interpenetration the infusion of the one into the other would leave the occupied space exactly what it was before and； where the space occupied is not increased by the juxtaposition； they explain that some expulsion of air has made room for the incoming substance。 They ask further； how a minor quantity of one substance can be spread out so as to interpenetrate a major quantity of another。 In fact they have a multitude of arguments。 Those； on the other hand； that accept 〃complete transfusion；〃 might object that it does not require the reduction of the mixed things to fragments； a certain cleavage being sufficient： thus； for instance； sweat does not split up the body or even pierce holes in it。 And if it is answered that this may well be a special decree of Nature to allow of the sweat exuding； there is the case of those manufactured articles； slender but without puncture； in which we can see a liquid wetting them through and through so that it runs down from the upper to the under surface。 How can this fact be explained； since both the liquid and the solid are bodily substances？ Interpenetration without disintegration is difficult to conceive； and if there is such mutual disintegration the two must obviously destroy each other。 When they urge that often there is a mixing without augmentation their adversaries can counter at once with the exit of air。 When there is an increase in the space occupied； nothing refutes the explanation… however unsatisfying… that this is a necessary consequence of two bodies bringing to a common stock their magnitude equally with their other attributes： size is as permanent as any other property； and； exactly as from the blending of qualities there results a new form of thing； the combination of the two； so we find a new magnitude； the blending gives us a magnitude representing each of the two。 But at this point the others will answer； 〃If you mean that substance lies side by side with substance and mass with mass； each carrying its quantum of magnitude； you are at one with us： if there were complete transfusion； one substance sinking its original magnitude in the other； we would have no longer the case of two lines joined end to end by their terminal points and thus producing an increased extension； we would have line superimposed upon line with； therefore； no increase。〃 But a lesser quantity permeates the entire extent of a larger； the smallest is sunk in the greatest； transfusion is exhibited unmistakably。 In certain cases it is possible to pretend that there is no total penetration but there are manifest examples leaving no room for the pretence。 In what they say of the spreading out of masses they cannot be thought very plausible； the extension would have to be considerable indeed in the case of a very small quantity ＇to be in true mixture with a very large mass＇； for they do not suggest any such extension by change as that of water into air。 2。 This； however； raises a problem deserving investigation in itself： what has happened when a definite magnitude of water becomes air； and how do we explain the increase of volume？ But for the present we must be content with the matter thus far discussed out of all the varied controversy accumulated on either side。 It remains for us to make out on our own account the true explanation of the phenomenon of mixing； without regard to the agreement or disagreement of that theory with any of the current opinions mentioned。 When water runs through wool or when papyrus…pulp gives up its moisture why is not the moist content expressed to the very last drop or even； without question of outflow； how can we possibly think that in a mixture the relation of matter with matter； mass with mass； is contact and that only the qualities are fused？ The pulp is not merely in touch with water outside it or even in its pores； it is wet through and through so that every particle of its matter is drenched in that quality。 Now if the matter is soaked all through with the quality； then the water is everywhere in the pulp。 〃Not the water； the quality of the water。〃 But then； where is the water？ and ＇if only a quality has entered＇ why is there a change of volume？ The pulp has been expanded by the addition： that is to say it has received magnitude from the incoming substance but if it has received the magnitude； magnitude has been added； and a magnitude added has not been absorbed； therefore the combined matter must occupy two several places。 And as the two mixing substances communicate quality and receive matter in mutual give and take so they may give and take magnitude。 Indeed when a quality meets another quality it suffers some change； it is mixed； and by that admixture it is no longer pure and therefore no longer itself but a blunter thing； whereas magnitude joining magnitude retains its full strength。 But let it be understood how we came to say that body passing through and through another body must produce disintegration； while we make
