ARISTOTLE AND THE EARLIER PERIPATETICS vol.I by Eduard Zeller, B.F.C.Costelloe 1897

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422 ARISTOTLE
PHYSICS 421
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natural operation of the primum movens upon the world.
and from this point of view he will Dot allow that Nature
Aristotle's philosophy, moreover, excludes the conception
as a whole is divine, but only demonic. Yet 1
there are
of God's immediate interference in the course of the
other passages in which he seems to follow the popular
universe ; and it would be illegitimate to attribute
theology of the Greeks, who recognised and revered
to Aristotle the popular belief in Providence, on the
an immediate exhibition of divine force in natural phenomena.
Nature and God are so used synonymously, 2
Consequently it remains in obscurity whether we are to
strength of a passing allusion to it in his writings. 1
and a share in divinity is conceded to all natural
regard Nature as a single force or as an assemblage of
existences, however trivial. 3 Indeed, this vacillation of
forces, as something independent or as an emanation
view is deeply rooted in Aristotle's philosophy. So far
from the divine activity ; or, on the other hand, whether
as God is the first cause of motion, all motions in the
we ought to combine these two points of view, and, if
universe must proceed from Him ; natural forces can
so, how we ought to do it. But meantime we may
only be an emanation of his force, and natural causes a
permit Aristotle further to unfold his view of Nature.
manifestation of his causality. On the other hand, if
The most important idea with which we have to
we confine the functions of the primum movens to
deal in the Philosophy of Nature is that of Motion. In
setting the outer sphere of heaven in motion, these
our earlier researches we had to examine this idea in its
conclusions are impossible. If even in the heavenly
general bearing ;
therefore what now remains is that we
sphere we have to assume in addition to the Supreme
should supplement our previous conclusions with an
Mover a series of subordinate and eternal beings, it is
analysis of physical motion in its stricter and more
still more necessary in order to explain the much
special sense.
greater variety of movements in the realm of nature
Motion was defined generally on
to assume a train of independent substances endowed
p. 380 sq. as the
actualisation of what exists potentially.
with motive power of their own. How
By analysing
the harmony of
the different sorts of
these movements
Motion we arrive at the special
or their conjunction in an orderly
definition
system is effected, it is hard
of its physical character. Aristotle distinto
say. It cannot be by the
1
Dlvin. p. S. c. 2, 463, b, 12 : e'xei rb nav. Eth. N. x. 10, 1179,
1
Eth.N.s.. 9, 1179, a, 22 : & iroieiv ois ruv