Indeed, intelligence possesses and embraces the Good immediately;
while the Soul can only aspire to (the Good), which is located above
the Intelligence. The whole world-sphere possessing the Soul which
thus aspires (to the Good), is moved by the promptings of its natural
aspirations. Its natural aspiration, however, is to rise in bodily
aspiration to the principle on the outside of which it is; namely, to
extend around it, to turn, and consequently to move in a circle.
THE INTELLECTUAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE WORLD-SOUL, AND SOULS OF
STARS, EARTH AND MEN.
17. Why are the thoughts and rational aspirations in us different (from
what they are in the universal Soul)? Why is there in us posteriority
in respect to time (as we conceive things in a successive manner,
while the universal Soul conceives them simultaneously)? Why do we
have to question ourselves (about this)? Is it because several forces
are active in us, and contend for mastery, and there is no single
one which alone commands? Is it because we successively need various
things to satisfy our needs, because our present is not determined by
itself, but refers to things which vary continually, and which are
outside of ourselves? Yes, that is the reason why our determinations
change according to the present occasion and need. Various things come
from the outside to offer themselves to us successively. Besides,
as several forces dominate in us, our imagination necessarily has
representations that are various, transient, modified by each other,
and hindering the movements and actions characteristic of each power
of the soul. Thus, when lust arises in us, imagination represents to
us the desired object, warns us, and instructs us about the passion
born of lust, and at the same time begs of us to listen to it, and to
satisfy it. In this state, the soul floats in uncertainty, whether it
grant to the appetite the desired satisfaction, or whether she refuse
it. Anger, for instance, excites us to vengeance, and thereby produces
the same uncertainty. The needs and passions of the body also suggest
to us varying actions and opinions; as do also the ignorance of the
true goods, the soul's inability to give a certain judgment, while in
this hesitating condition, and the consequences which result from the
mingling of the things we have just mentioned. Still our own highest
part makes judgments more certain than those reached by the part common
(to the soul and to the body), a part that is very uncertain, being a
prey to diversity of opinions.