Let us first define potentiality. When a thing is said to exist
potentially, this means that it does not exist absolutely. Necessarily,
what exists potentially is potential only in relation to something
else; for example, metal is the statue potentially. Of course, if
nothing were to be done with this thing, or within it, if it were not
to become something beyond itself, if there were no possibility of
its becoming anything else, it would only be what it was already. How
could it then become something different from what it was? It did not,
therefore, exist potentially. Consequently, if, on considering what is
a thing that exists potentially, and one that exists actually, we say
that it exists potentially, we must mean that it might become different
from what it is, whether, after having produced this different thing,
it remain what it is, or whether, on becoming this different thing,
which it is potentially, it ceases being what it is itself. Indeed, if
metal be a statue potentially, this is a relation different from water
being metal potentially, as air is potentially fire.[15]