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
18. We must further examine if the Aristotelians have the right
to say that acting contains both actualizations and movements,
the actualizations producing themselves instantaneously, and the
movements successively; as, for instance, dividing implies time.
Or will they say that all actualizations are movements, or, at
least, are accompanied by movements? Will they trace all actions to
"experiencing" (or, reactions), or will they acknowledge absolute
actions, like walking or speaking? Or will they distinguish all actions
that relate to "experiencing" as movements, and all absolute actions
as actualizations? Or will they place actions of both kinds among
movements, and among actualizations? They would no doubt classify
walking, which is an absolute thing, as movement; and thinking, which
is a verb without passive voice, as an actualization.[275] Otherwise
the Aristotelians will be obliged to insist that there is nothing
active in walking or thinking. But if walking and thinking do not
belong to the category of acting, it will be necessary to explain to
what they do belong. Will it be said that thinking relates to the
thinkable (the intelligible), as intellection does,[276] because
sensation relates to the sense-object? If sensation be related to
the sense-object, why do they not equally relate "sensing" (feeling)
to the sense-object? Sensation, relating to something else, has a
relation with that thing; but, besides that relation, it has the
property of being an "action" or an "experience" (or, reaction). If
therefore reaction (or, suffering), besides belonging to something
else, or depending on something else, has the property of itself
being something, like actualization, then walking, besides belonging
to something else (to the feet), and depending on something else (on
the motive power), nevertheless by itself possesses the property of
being movement. In this case, it will have to be recognized that
intellection, besides being a relation, by itself also is a movement or
an actualization.
DO CERTAIN ACTIONS APPEAR IMPERFECT WHEN NOT JOINED TO TIME?
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