Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
15. The Aristotelians hold that number and quantity, and other things
referring to being should be subordinated to being; thus they classify
quantity as in a genus different from being. Quality also refers to
being, it also is erected into a separate genus. Consequently, as
action also refers to being, it is also considered a separate genus.
Must then "acting," or rather "action," from which "acting" is derived,
be considered a separate genus, as we consider that quality, from
which qualification is derived, is a separate genus? (As to these
derivations), it might be asked whether there were no distinction
between "action," "to act," and "active," or between "to act," and
"action?" "To act" expresses the idea of "active," while "action" does
not express it. "To act" means "to be in some action;" or rather, "in
actualization." Consequently, "actualization" expresses a category
rather than "action;" since actualization is predicated of being, like
quality, as was said above; and actualization, like movement, also
relates to being; but movement necessarily constitutes a class of
essence. How indeed could we admit that quantity, quality and relation
each form a genus, in respect to being, and yet refuse to movement,
which equally refers to being, the privilege of also forming a genus of
being?
HOW CAN MOVEMENT BE IN TIME, IF CHANGE BE OUTSIDE OF TIME?
16. It may be objected that movement is an imperfect
actualization.[272] In that case actualization should be given
the first rank; and under that genus would follow the species of
movement, with the quality of imperfection, by saying that movement
is an actualization, and adding (the specific difference) that it is
imperfect. To say that movement is an imperfect actualization does
not deprive it of being an actualization, but implies that though it
be actualization, there is in it succession, not to arrive at being
actualization, (which it is already), but to accomplish something from
which it is yet entirely distinct. Then (when that goal is reached),
it is not the movement that becomes perfect, but the thing which was
the goal. For instance, walking is walking from the very first step;
but if there be a mile to go, and the mile be not yet finished, what
is lacking of the mile is not lacking to the walking or to movement
(taken absolutely), but to that particular walk. For the walk was
walking and movement from the very first step; consequently, he who
is moving has already moved, and he who cuts has already cut.[273]
Just as actualization, movement has no need of time; it needs time
only to become such an action. If then actualization be outside of
time, movement, taken absolutely, must also be outside of time. The
objection that movement is in time because it implies continuity
(proves too much; for in that case) intuition itself, if prolonged,
would also imply continuity, and therefore would be in time. Reasoning
by induction, it may be seen, 1, that one can always distinguish
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