Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
Here is another important (related) question. If there existed another
world and organism which had no relation with our world, and if on
the surface of the sky was an eye that was looking, would it perceive
this other world at a moderate distance, or would it have no relation
thereto? This question will be considered later.[169] Now however we
shall give a further proof that the medium has nothing to do with
vision. If the air were affected, it would experience a material
affection, similar to the figure impressed on wax. In this case, a
certain part of the object would be impressed on a certain part of the
air; and consequently, the part of the air nearest to the eye would
receive a part of the visible object, and this part would be of a
size equal to that of the pupil. Now a visible object is seen in its
entirety, and all those who are in the air equally see it, whether they
behold it from the front, or side, or whether they be one behind the
other, without however forming mutual obstacles. This proves that every
part of the air contains the entire visible object. This cannot be
explained by any corporeal affection, but by higher laws, suitable to
the soul, and to the (universal) organism which everywhere responds to
itself.
MUTUAL RELATION OF THE EYE'S LIGHT AND THE OBJECTIVE LIGHT.
4. What is the mutual relation between the light that emanates from
the eye, and the light which is exterior to the eye, and which extends
between the eye and the object?[170] Light has no need of air as a
medium, unless indeed somebody should undertake to say that there
is no light without air, in which case air would be a medium only
accidentally. Light itself, however, is an unaffected medium, for
there is no necessity here for an affection, but only for a medium;
consequently, if light be not a body, there is no need of a body (to
act as medium). It might be objected that sight has no need either of a
foreign light nor of a medium to see near by, but has need of them for
vision at a distance. Later[171] we shall consider whether or not light
without air be possible. Now let us consider the first point.
INTERMEDIARY LIGHT IS UNNECESSARY, PARTLY BEING AN OBSTACLE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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