But what is the soul considered apart from all action, if we examine in
her the part which does not work at formation of the bodies?[304] Will
not a plurality of powers still be found therein? As to world-Essence,
nobody even thinks of depriving the soul of it. But is her acknowledged
essence the same as that predicated of a stone? Surely not. Besides,
even in the essence of the stone, "being" and "being a stone" are
inseparable concepts, just as "being" and "being a soul" are, in the
soul, but one and the same thing.[305] Must we then regard as different
in her essence on one side, and on the other the remainder (what
constitutes the being); so that it would be the difference (proper to
being) which, by being added to her, constituted the soul? No: the soul
is no doubt a determinate essence; not as a "white man," but only as
a particular being; in other words, she has what she has by her very
being.