Admitting therefore the existence of certain genera, which are
simultaneously principles, we must still consider whether they should
be conceived so that these genera, along with the things contained by
each of them, commingle, fuse, and form the whole by their blending. If
so, the genera would exist potentially, but not in actualization; none
would have anything characteristic. Further, granting the distinctness
of the genera, can we grant that the individuals blend? But what then
would become of the genera themselves? Will they subsist by themselves,
and will they remain pure, without mutual destruction of the mingled
individuals? Later we shall indicate how such things could take place.
FUNDAMENTAL UNITY OF GENERA WOULD DESTROY SPECIES; MANIFOLDNESS MUST
PRE-EXIST.
Now that we have explained the existence of genera, which, besides,
are principles of being, and that from another point of view there are
principles (or elements), and compounds, we shall have to set forth the
criterion by which we constitute these genera; we shall have to ask how
they may be distinguished from each other, instead of reducing them to
a single (principle), as if they had been united by chance, although it
does indeed seem more rational to reduce them to a single (principle).
It would be possible to reduce them in this way if all things were
species of essence, if the individuals were contained within these
species, and if there were nothing outside of these species. But such a
supposition would destroy the species--for such species would no longer
be species, or forms;--and from that moment there would be no further
need for reducing plurality to unity, and everything forming a single
unity; so that, all things belonging to this One, no being outside of
the One would exist, as far as it was something else.
How indeed could the One have become manifold, and how could it have
begotten the species, if nothing but it existed? For it would not be
manifold if there were not something to divide it, such as a size; now
that which divides is other than that which is divided. The mere fact
that it divides itself, or imparts itself to others, shows that it was
already divisible before the division.
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE GENUS, FOR NOT EVERYTHING CAN BE SUBSUMED UNDER
BEING AND ESSENCE.
For this and other reasons, therefore, we must take good care to
avoid assertion of a single genus; for it would be impossible to
apply to everything the denominations of "being" and essence.[342]
If indeed there be very different objects called essence, this is
only accidentally, just as if one called the color white a being; for
strictly we cannot apply "being" to white, as considered alone.[301]