Elements of Theology, Proposition 15
Jun. 27th, 2024 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
readoldthingsON AN INCORPOREAL ESSENCE, AND WHAT THE CHARACTERISTIC OF IT IS
Every thing which is able to return to itself is incorporeal.
For no body is, by reason of its nature, competent to return to itself. For if that which is converted to anything is conjoined with that to which it is converted, it is evident that all the parts of the body which is converted to itself will be conjoined with all the parts. For a thing is converted to itself, when both that which is converted, and that to which it is converted, become one. This however is impossible in body, and, in short, in all partible things. For the whole of that which is partible is not conjoined with the whole, on account of the separation of its parts, which lie outside one another. No body, therefore, is naturally able to return to itself, so that the whole may be converted to the whole. Hence, if there is anything which has the power of returning to itself, it is incorporeal and impartible.
ANOTHER TRANSLATION:
Everything which is coverted to itself is incorporeal.
For no body is naturally adapted to revert to itself. For if that which is converted to any thing is conjoined with that to which it is converted, it is evident that all the parts of the body which is converted to itself, will be conjoined with all the parts. For this it is for a thing to be converted to itself, when both that which is converted, and to that to which it is converted, become one. This however is impossible in body, and in short, in all partible things. For the whole of that which is partible is not conjoined with the whole, on account of hte separation of the parts, some of which are situated differently from others. No body therefore is naturally adapted to revert to itself, so as that the whole may be converted to the whole. Hence if there is anything which has the power of reverting to itself, it is incorporeal and impartible.
COMMENTARY
This introduces a very important concept in Neoplatonic metaphysics. This is the concept of conversion or reversion, which we'll see again and again as we proceed. In discussing this proposition, I'd like to go through Proclus's commentary line by line.
Proclus first tells us, "Every thing which is able to return to itself is incorporeal."
From this, we already know several things. 1. There is a concept of "returning to self" or "conversion to self." We don't yet know precisely what this is, but we can be sure it's important. 2. Not everything is able to do this. 3. Everything which is able to return to itself is incorporeal. That is, this is something which only things that don't have bodies can do. All things without bodies? We don't know yet.
Next: No body, by reason of its nature, is able to return to itself. That is, there is something about body as such which precludes return. What is that?
Now we learn: "That which is converted to any thing is conjoined with that to which it is converted." Therefore, conversion means to be conjoined to something. For a thing to convert to itself, then, means to be conjoined to itself. But we're not talking about two things stuck together, like a pair of legos. Rather, "both that which is converted, and that to which it is converted, become one."
That, therefore, is why bodies cannot be converted to themselves. To be a body is to possess parts. One part is a hand; another, an eye; another, a spleen. These are united into a whole, but the hand, the eye, and the spleen cannot become one thing.
Anything which can be converted to itself, therefore, is both not a body, and not divided into parts.
Every thing which is able to return to itself is incorporeal.
For no body is, by reason of its nature, competent to return to itself. For if that which is converted to anything is conjoined with that to which it is converted, it is evident that all the parts of the body which is converted to itself will be conjoined with all the parts. For a thing is converted to itself, when both that which is converted, and that to which it is converted, become one. This however is impossible in body, and, in short, in all partible things. For the whole of that which is partible is not conjoined with the whole, on account of the separation of its parts, which lie outside one another. No body, therefore, is naturally able to return to itself, so that the whole may be converted to the whole. Hence, if there is anything which has the power of returning to itself, it is incorporeal and impartible.
ANOTHER TRANSLATION:
Everything which is coverted to itself is incorporeal.
For no body is naturally adapted to revert to itself. For if that which is converted to any thing is conjoined with that to which it is converted, it is evident that all the parts of the body which is converted to itself, will be conjoined with all the parts. For this it is for a thing to be converted to itself, when both that which is converted, and to that to which it is converted, become one. This however is impossible in body, and in short, in all partible things. For the whole of that which is partible is not conjoined with the whole, on account of hte separation of the parts, some of which are situated differently from others. No body therefore is naturally adapted to revert to itself, so as that the whole may be converted to the whole. Hence if there is anything which has the power of reverting to itself, it is incorporeal and impartible.
COMMENTARY
This introduces a very important concept in Neoplatonic metaphysics. This is the concept of conversion or reversion, which we'll see again and again as we proceed. In discussing this proposition, I'd like to go through Proclus's commentary line by line.
Proclus first tells us, "Every thing which is able to return to itself is incorporeal."
From this, we already know several things. 1. There is a concept of "returning to self" or "conversion to self." We don't yet know precisely what this is, but we can be sure it's important. 2. Not everything is able to do this. 3. Everything which is able to return to itself is incorporeal. That is, this is something which only things that don't have bodies can do. All things without bodies? We don't know yet.
Next: No body, by reason of its nature, is able to return to itself. That is, there is something about body as such which precludes return. What is that?
Now we learn: "That which is converted to any thing is conjoined with that to which it is converted." Therefore, conversion means to be conjoined to something. For a thing to convert to itself, then, means to be conjoined to itself. But we're not talking about two things stuck together, like a pair of legos. Rather, "both that which is converted, and that to which it is converted, become one."
That, therefore, is why bodies cannot be converted to themselves. To be a body is to possess parts. One part is a hand; another, an eye; another, a spleen. These are united into a whole, but the hand, the eye, and the spleen cannot become one thing.
Anything which can be converted to itself, therefore, is both not a body, and not divided into parts.
