The incorruptibility of the heaven has been ascribed to its containing
within its breast all things,[201] and to the non-existence of any
other thing into which it could change, as well as to the impossibility
of its meeting anything exterior that could destroy it. These theories
would indeed, in a reasonable manner, explain the incorruptibility
of heaven considered as totality, and universe; but would fail to
explain the perpetuity of the sun and of the other stars which are
parts of heaven, instead of being the whole universe, as is the heaven.
It would seem more reasonable that, just like the fire and similar
things, the stars, and the world considered as universe would possess
a perpetuity chiefly of form. It is quite possible that the heaven,
without meeting any destructive exterior thing, should be subjected to
a perpetual destruction such that it would preserve nothing identical
but the form, from the mere mutual destruction of its parts. In this
case its substrate, being in a perpetual flux, would receive its form
from some other principle; and we would be driven to recognize in the
universal living Organism what occurs in man, in the horse, and in
other animals; namely, that the man or horse (considered as species)
lasts forever, while the individual changes. (According to this view,
then) the universe will not be constituted by one ever permanent
part, the heaven, and another ceaselessly changing one, composed of
terrestrial things. All these things will then be subject to the same
condition though they might differ by longer or shorter duration, since
celestial bodies are more durable. Such a conception of the perpetuity
characteristic of the universe and its parts contains less ambiguity
(than the popular notion), and would be freed from all doubt if we
were to demonstrate that the divine power is capable of containing the
universe in this manner. The theory that the world contains something
perpetual in its individuality would demand not only a demonstration
that the divine volition can produce such an effect, but also an
explanation why certain things (according to that theory) are always
identical (in form and individuality), while other things are identical
only by their form. If the parts of the heaven alone remained
identical (by their individuality), all other things also should
logically remain (individually) identical.