The Improvement of Human Reason: Exhibited in the Life of Hai Ebn YokdhanIbn Tufayl, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik
Islamic
The Improvement of Human Reason: Exhibited in the Life of Hai Ebn Yokdhan
Ibn Tufayl, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Malik
Islamic philosophy -- Early works to 1800
Sec.. 34. He proceeded from hence to the consideration of all the Species
of Animals and found that every Individual of them was _One_. Next he
consider'd them with regard to their different Species, _viz_. as Roes,
Horses, Asses and all sorts of Birds according to their kinds, and he
perceiv'd that all the Individuals of every Species were exactly like
one another, in the shape of their Parts, both within and without, that
their Apprehensions, Motions, and Inclinations were alike, and that
those little differences which where visible amongst them, were
inconsiderable in respect of those many things in which they agreed.
From whence he concluded, that the Spirit which actuated any Species was
one and the same; only distributed among so many Hearts, as there were
Individuals in that Species, so that if it were possible for all that
Spirit, which is so divided among so many Hearts, to be Collected into
one Receptacle, it would be all the same thing, just as if any one
Liquor should be pour'd out into several Dishes and afterwards put all
together again in one Vessel; this Liquor would still be the _same_, as
well when it was divided, as when it was altogether, only in respect of
that division it may be said in some sort to be Multiplied. By this way
of Contemplation he perceiv'd that a whole Species was One and the same
thing, and that the Multiplicity of Individuals in the same Species is
like the Multiplicity of Parts in the same Person, which indeed are not
_many_ [i.e. are only _One_.]
Sec. 35. Then he represented in his Mind, all the Several kinds of Animals,
and perceiv'd that Sensation, and Nutrition, and the Power of moving
freely where they pleas'd, was common to them all; which Actions he was
assur'd before, were all very proper to the Animal Spirit, and that
those lesser things in which they differ'd (notwithstanding their
agreement in these greater,) were not so proper to that Spirit. From
this consideration he concluded, that it was only One and the same
Animal Spirit, which Actuated all living Creatures whatsoever, tho'
there was in it a little difference, which each Species claim'd as
peculiar to it self. For instance, suppose the same Water be pour'd out
into different Vessels, that which is in this Vessel may possibly be
something warmer than that which is in another, tho' 'tis the same Water
still, and so every degree of Heat and Cold in this Water in the Several
Vessels, will represent the Specifick difference which there is in
Animals: And as that Water is all one and the same, so is that Animal
Spirit _One_, tho' in some respect there is a sort of Multiplicity. And
so under this Notion he look'd upon the whole Species of living
Creatures, to be all _One_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account