Cause Principle Unity

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<strong>Cause</strong>, principle and unity is constituted and does not constitute, is remade but does not remake, he held it worthless compared to matter, which is stable, eternal, progenitor and mother. And this happens, inevitably, to those who do not know what we do. DICSONO. The point has been very well examined. But it is time to turn from this digression back to our problem. We now know how to distinguish matter from form, as much from the accidental form (whatever it may be) as from the substantial form. We must still look into its nature and its reality. But first, I would like to know whether, in view of the great union that this world soul and universal form has with matter, one could not admit that other mode of philosophizing, belonging to those who do not separate the act from the essence of matter, and who understand matter as a divine thing, and not as something so pure and formless that it cannot form and clothe itself. TEOFILO. It is not easy, because absolutely nothing operates on itself alone, and there is always some distinction between an agent and what is produced or that on which the action and operation work. For that reason, it is good to distinguish matter from soul in the body of nature, and in the soul to distinguish the idea of the species. 15 Hence we affirm that in this body there are three things: first, the universal intellect inherent in things; second, the soul that vivifies all; and third, the substratum. But we shall not refuse the name of philosopher to someone who follows his own bent and takes this formed body, or (as we prefer to call it) this rational animal, and then begins to take as first principle, in some sense, the constituents of this body, such as air, earth, fire, or even the ethereal region and the astral region, or spirit and body, or the void and the plenum (though not the void in Aristotle’s sense), or yet another convenient way. Such a philosophy, it seems to me, does not deserve to be repudiated, especially when, no matter what basis is presupposed or what form of construction is contemplated, it helps to improve speculative science and knowledge of natural things, as was, indeed, done by many ancient philosophers. For it is a sign of an ambitious, presumptuous, envious and vain mind to wish to persuade others that there is only one way to investigate and to attain knowledge of nature, and it is the sign of a madman or man without reason to believe that this way lies within himself alone. So that, although we should always rather prefer, honour and practise the most resolute and constant, the most contemplative and dignified way, and the most lofty method of inquiry, we 15 The universal intellect, mentioned in the following sentence. 62
Third dialogue should not fault that other method, which is not without fruit, though it does not belong to the same tree. DICSONO. You approve, then, of the study of different philosophies? TEOFILO. For those who possess an abundance of time and wit, I recommend it. For others, I approve the study of the best way, provided the gods allow them to guess which it is. DICSONO. I am sure, however, that you do not approve of all philosophies, but only of the good or best. TEOFILO. That is true. Likewise, among the different medical methods, I do not condemn the one that proceeds magically, applying roots, wearing stones or murmuring incantations, if the severity of the theologians will permit me to speak purely as a natural philosopher. I approve of what is done physically, carried out by means of apothecaries’ prescriptions to flux or cause to run bile, blood, phlegm and melancholia. I accept that other method which proceeds alchemically, extracting the quintessences, and using fire to volatilize mercury, deposit salt, make sulphur grow luminous or extract oil from composites. But I do not wish to determine what method is the best among so many medical procedures. If the epileptic, to whom the physician and the alchemist have dedicated so much time in vain, chances to be cured by the magician, he will rightly endorse that medicine over the two other types. Keep to the same reasoning for other methods: none serves less well than another, if it attains the end it has set itself. In my case, I consider the doctor who cures me to be worth more than the others who hurt me or murder me. GERVASIO. What is the reason for the great enmity between these schools of medicine? TEOFILO. Greed, envy, ambition and ignorance. In the main, they hardly understand their own method of treatment, much less those of the other schools. Most of them try to get ahead by casting the others down and showing contempt for whatever they cannot acquire, being unable to elevate themselves to honour and profit thanks to their own merits. The best and truest among them is he who is not only physician, but also alchemist and astrologer. But, to return to our point, the best philosophy is that which brings about the perfection of the human intellect most easily and eminently, and most closely corresponds to the truth of nature. The best one renders us, as far as possible, co-operators with nature, whether by divination (I mean according to the natural order and the principles of change, not by animal instinct in the manner of beasts and those who resemble 63
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CAMBRIDGE TEXTS IN THE HISTORY OF P
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PUBLISHED BY THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF
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Introduction Giordano Bruno was bor
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Introduction existence of such a sp
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Introduction metaphysics which is i
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Introduction traditional cosmology.
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Introduction it be contracted, as i
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Introduction these are only appeara
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Introduction substance, which Bruno
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Introduction nature of his presence
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Introduction All this throws light
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Introduction (whose link with our i
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Introduction servitude of their own
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Introduction constituent moments, o
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Chronology his Italian dialogues, L
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Chronology 21 December, he said he
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Further reading Heroic Frenzies, tr
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Cause, Principle and Unity
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Cause, principle and unity gainsayi
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Cause, principle and unity so that
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Cause, principle and unity however,
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Cause, principle and unity permanen
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Page 141: On Magic
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On magic While bronze is more simil
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On magic apprehends all things, how
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On magic parts of another body, but
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On magic This philosophy is supreme
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On magic How a magnet attracts iron
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On magic there are many large magne
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On magic It is easy for demons to p
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On magic This is what alteration, m
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On magic are expelled and replaced
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On magic Let us now turn our attent
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On magic On the bondings of spirits
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On magic is due sometimes to the la
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On magic Further, one should note t
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On magic disturbed by things which
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On magic readily to where the seed
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On magic Thus, someone who is less
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A general account of bonding Anyone
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A general account of bonding and fo
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A general account of bonding 12. No
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A general account of bonding the mo
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A general account of bonding person
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he does not move unless he is attra
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A general account of bonding 2. The
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A general account of bonding such a
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A general account of bonding in old
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A general account of bonding it tha
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A general account of bonding bound
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A general account of bonding adoles
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A general account of bonding to foo
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A general account of bonding Mercur
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A general account of bonding chaos
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A general account of bonding beauty
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Index accident and substance 6, 9,
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Index measurement 169 motion 158-9
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Index ubiquitous 49-50 see also div
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Index doctorates 26-7 natural viii-
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Index world-soul (anima mundi) xi-x
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Cause Principle Unity

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