Does the "reason" of each individual contain both his "actions" and
"reactions"[215] in a way such that these are neither accidental nor
fortuitous, but necessary?[255] Are these produced by the reasons? Or
do the reasons know them, without producing them? Or does the soul,
which contains the generative "reasons,"[256] know the effects of all
her works by reasoning according to the following principle, that the
concourse of the same circumstances must evidently produce the same
effects? If so, the soul, understanding or foreseeing the effects of
her works, by them determines and concatenates all the events that
are to happen. She, therefore, considers all the antecedents and
consequents, and foresees what is to follow from what precedes.[257]
It is (because the beings thus proceed from each other) that the
races continually degenerate. For instance, men degenerate because in
departing continually and unavoidably (from the primitive type) the
("seminal) reasons" yield to the "passions" of matter.[258]