To treat now of the definition of the Soul at large, I mean the
universal, absolute, generic soul. This will become apparent, according
to the tenets I hold, that among truths that are plainly manifest one
is that every one of all natural bodies is compounded of “hyle” I
mean matter, and of form. As for hyle, one of its properties is that
through it a natural body is affected (or acted upon) in its very self;
seeing that the sword, for instance, does not cut through its iron, but
through its sharpness, which is its form; whereas it gets jagged owing
to its iron, and not owing to its form. Another of those properties
is that bodies do not differ through it, I mean through the hyle; for
earth does not differ from water through its matter, but through its
form.[9] Still another property is that it--the hyle or matter--does
not afford (supply, furnish) natural bodies their characteristics
peculiarly belonging to them, save potentially; since in man, e.g.,
his humanity--his being man--is not actually derived from the four
elements, save potentially.
As for the form, its peculiarity is 1.^o that through it bodies put
forth their actions (or perform their manifold deeds and workings);
since a sword does not cut through its iron, but through, its
sharpness; and 2.^o that bodies differ one from the other only through
their genus or kind, I mean the form, since earth does not differ from
water save through its form, whereas in its matter it does not; and
3.^o that natural bodies get (derive, acquire) their being what they in
fact are from the form, since as to man, his being a man (his humanity)
is in fact through his form, and not through his matter, which is of
the four elements.
Let us proceed a little further, and we shall say that a live body is
a natural compound body that discriminates the non-living through its
soul, and not through its body; and that performs multifarious animal
works through its soul, and not through its body; and is alive through
its soul and not through its body; and its soul is within it. Now,
what is within a thing, while this form of its continues, is its form
[or, this its form being so and not otherwise, is etc.]. Thus then
the soul is a form; and forms are realized perfections (enteléchia),
since through them the features (identities, characteristics) of
things become perfect. The soul, therefore is a perfection (realized
identity). And perfections (enteléchias) come under two divisions:
either the principles underlying the doings and their effects, or the
very doings and effects themselves. The one of the two divisions is
first, and the other is second. The first is the principle (or source
and origin), and the second is the doing and the effect (or trace). In
this sense the soul is a first perfection (or prime actuality); for
it is a principle (source), not an outcome of a principle (source).
And of perfections, there are such as belong to bodies, and such as
belong to incorporeal substances. In this sense the soul is a prime
perfection attaching to a body. And among bodies, there are such as are
artificial, and such as are natural. Now the soul is not a perfection
of an artificial body; hence it is a prime perfection attaching to a
natural body. Again, among natural bodies there are such as perform
their multifarious workings through organs (tools, instruments), and
such as do not perform their workings through organs (tools); as, for
example the simple bodies, and those acting through the prevalence
(constraint) of the simple forces. In other words we may say, if we
like, that among natural bodies there are those whose design is, among
other things, that they produce of themselves [whose task or business
is to perform animal acts voluntarily, of their own will,] manifold
animal actions; and there are those whose design is, among other
things, not so to produce. Hence again, the soul is not a perfection
attaching to the two last divisions in both the foregoing manners of
statement. Therefore its full and finished definition is to say that--
It is a prime perfection (consummation, realization) attaching to
an organic natural body; and, if we wish, to say further, a prime
perfection attaching to a natural body having a life potentially
(a first, perfection belonging to a natural body which body may
have life); that is to say, a source of the manifold animal actions
potentially (it is the source and origin of the deeds done by such
beings as may be alive). Thus then we have divided (described) the
generic soul, and defined it--which is what we had undertaken.