the six enneads-第75节
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o make them of one common species； and puts an end to all mention of part； the reasonable conclusion would be； on the contrary； that there is one identical soul； every separate manifestation being that soul complete。 Our opponents after first admitting the unity go on to make our soul dependent on something else； something in which we have no longer the soul of this or that； even of the universe； but a soul of nowhere； a soul belonging neither to the kosmos； nor to anything else； and yet vested with all the function inherent to the kosmic soul and to that of every ensouled thing。 The soul considered as an entirety cannot be a soul of any one given thing… since it is an Essence ＇a divine Real…Being＇… or； at least； there must be a soul which is not exclusively the soul of any particular thing； and those attached to particulars must so belong merely in some mode of accident。 In such questions as this it is important to clarify the significance of 〃part。〃 Part； as understood of body… uniform or varied… need not detain us； it is enough to indicate that； when part is mentioned in respect of things whose members are alike； it refers to mass and not to ideal…form ＇specific idea＇： take for example； whiteness： the whiteness in a portion of milk is not a part of the whiteness of milk in general： we have the whiteness of a portion not a portion of whiteness； for whiteness is utterly without magnitude； has nothing whatever to do with quantity。 That is all we need say with regard to part in material things； but part in the unembodied may be taken in various ways。 We may think of it in the sense familiar in numbers； 〃two〃 a part of the standard 〃ten〃… in abstract numbers of course… or as we think of a segment of a circle； or line ＇abstractly considered＇； or； again； of a section or branch of knowledge。 In the case of the units of reckoning and of geometrical figure； exactly as in that of corporeal masses； partition must diminish the total； the part must be less than the whole； for these are things of quantity； and have their being as things of quantity； and… since they are not the ideal…form Quantity… they are subject to increase and decrease。 Now in such a sense as this； part cannot be affirmed of the soul。 The soul is not a thing of quantity； we are not to conceive of the All…Soul as some standard ten with particular souls as its constituent units。 Such a conception would entail many absurdities： The Ten could not be ＇essentially＇ a unity ＇the Soul would be an aggregation； not a self…standing Real…Being＇ and； further… unless every one of the single constituents were itself an All…Soul… the All…Soul would be formed of non…souls。 Again； it is admitted that the particular soul… this 〃part of the All…Soul… is of one ideal…form with it； but this does not entail the relation of part to whole； since in objects formed of continuous parts there is nothing inevitably making any portion uniform with the total： take； for example； the parts of a circle or square； we may divide it in different ways so as to get our part； a triangle need not be divided into triangles； all sorts of different figures are possible： yet an absolute uniformity is admitted to reign throughout soul。 In a line； no doubt； the part is inevitably a line； but even here there is a necessary difference in size； and if； in the case of the soul we similarly called upon magnitude as the distinction between constituents and collective soul； then soul； thus classed by magnitude becomes quantitative； and is simply body。 But it is admitted that all souls are alike and are entireties； clearly； soul is not subject to part in the sense in which magnitudes are： our opponents themselves would not consent to the notion of the All…Soul being whittled down into fragments； yet this is what they would be doing； annulling the All…Soul… if any collective soul existed at all… making it a mere piece of terminology； thinking of it like wine separated into many portions； each portion； in its jar； being described as a portion of the total thing； wine。 Next there is the conception of the individual soul as a part in the sense in which we speak of some single proposition as a part of the science entire。 The theorem is separate； but the science stands as one undivided thing； the expression and summed efficiency ＇energy＇ of each constituent notion： this is partition without severance； each item potentially includes the whole science； which itself remains an unbroken total。 Is this the appropriate parallel？ No； in such a relationship the All…Soul； of which the particular souls are to be a part； would not be the soul of any definite thing； but an entity standing aloof； that means that it would not even be the soul of the Kosmos； it would； in fact； be； itself； one of those partial souls； thus all alike would be partial and of one nature； and； at that； there would be no reason for making any such distinction。 3。 Is it a question of part in the sense that； taking one living being； the soul in a finger might be called a part of the soul entire？ This would carry the alternative that either there is no soul outside of body； or that… no soul being within body… the thing described as the soul of the universe is； none the less； outside the body of the universe。 That is a point to be investigated； but for the present we must consider what kind of soul this parallel would give us。 If the particular soul is a part of the All…Soul only in the sense that this bestows itself upon all living things of the partial sphere； such a self…bestowal does not imply division； on the contrary； it is the identical soul that is present everywhere； the one complete thing； multi…present at the one moment： there is no longer question of a soul that is a part against a soul that is an all… especially where an identical power is present。 Even difference of function； as in eyes and ears； cannot warrant the assertion of distinct parts concerned in each separate act… with other parts again making allotment of faculty… all is met by the notion of one identical thing； but a thing in which a distinct power operates in each separate function。 All the powers are present either in seeing or in hearing； the difference in impression received is due to the difference in the organs concerned； all the varying impressions are our various responses to Ideal…forms that can be taken in a variety of modes。 A further proof ＇of the unity of Soul＇ is that perception demands a common gathering place； every organ has its distinct function； and is competent only upon its own material； and must interpret each several experience in its own fashion； the judgement upon these impressions must； then； be vested in some one principle； a judge informed upon all that is said and done。 But again： 〃Everywhere； Unity〃： in the variety of functions if each 〃part of the soul〃 were as distinct as are the entrant sensations； none of those parts could have knowledge； awareness would belong only to that judging faculty… or； if local； every such act of awareness would stand quite unrelated to any other。 But since the soul is a rational soul； by the very same title by which it is an All…Soul； and is called the rational soul； in the sense of being a whole ＇and so not merely 〃reasoning locally〃＇； then what is thought of as a part must in reality be no part but the identity of an unparted thing。 4。 But if this is the true account of the unity of soul； we must be able to meet the problems that ensue： firstly； the difficulty of one thing being present at the same moment in all things； and； secondly； the difficulty of soul in body as against soul not embodied。 We might be led to think that all soul must always inhabit body； this would seem especially plausible in the case of the soul of the universe； not thought of as ever leaving its body as the human soul does： there exists； no doubt； an opinion that even the human soul； while it must leave the body； cannot become an utterly disembodied thing； but assuming its complete disembodiment； how comes it that the human soul can go free of the body but the All…Soul not； though they are one and the same？ There is no such difficulty in the case of the Intellectual…Principle； by the primal differentiation； this separates； no doubt； into partial things of widely varying nature； but eternal unity is secured by virtue of the eternal identity of that Essence： it is not so easy to explain how； in the case of the soul described as separate among bodies； such differentiated souls can remain one thing。 A possible solution may be offered： The unit soul holds aloof； not actually falling into body； the differentiated souls… the All…Soul； with the others… issue from the unity while still constituting； within certain limits； an association。 They are one soul by the fact that they do not belong unreservedly to any particular being； they meet； so to speak； fringe to fringe； they strike out here and there； but are held together at the source much as light is a divided thing upon earth； shining in this house； and that； and yet remains uninterruptedly one identical substance。 The All…Soul would always remain above； since essentially it has nothing to do with descent or with the l
