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Aristotle · Metaphysics §1.10

Summary of the Four Causes and Early Philosophy

Passage 17 of 159 · Greek

Summary

Aristotle confirms that previous philosophers searched for the four causes presented in his Physics, while pointing out the halting, youthful nature of early philosophy. Citing Empedocles' account of bone to show how they failed to state essence clearly, he proposes to return to the study of difficulties (aporiai) to aid future inquiries.

§1.10ὅτι μὲν οὖν τὰς εἰρημένας ἐν τοῖς φυσικοῖς αἰτίας ζητεῖν ἐοίκασι πάντες, καὶ τούτων ἐκτὸς οὐδεμίαν ἔχοιμεν ἂν εἰπεῖν, δῆλον καὶ ἐκ τῶν πρότερον εἰρημένων·
Therefore, that everyone seems to search for the causes mentioned in the Physics, and that we could not state any other besides these, is clear also from what has been said before.
ἀλλʼ ἀμυδρῶς ταύτας, καὶ τρόπον μέν τινα πᾶσαι πρότερον εἴρηνται τρόπον δέ τινα οὐδαμῶς.
But they search for these only dimly; and in a way all causes have been spoken of before, but in another way not at all.
ψελλιζομένῃ γὰρ ἔοικεν ἡ πρώτη φιλοσοφία περὶ πάντων, ἅτε νέα τε καὶ κατʼ ἀρχὰς οὖσα, ἐπεὶ καὶ Ἐμπεδοκλῆς ὀστοῦν τῷ λόγῳ φησὶν εἶναι, τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι καὶ ἡ οὐσία τοῦ πράγματες.
For the earliest philosophy seems to lisp about all things, inasmuch as it is young and at its beginning, since even Empedocles says that bone exists by the ratio, and this is the essence and the substance of the thing.
ἀλλὰ μὴν ὁμοίως ἀναγκαῖον καὶ σάρκας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστον εἶναι τὸν λόγον, ἢ μηδὲ ἕν· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ σὰρξ καὶ ὀστοῦν ἔσται καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕκαστον καὶ οὐ διὰ τὴν ὕλην, ἣν ἐκεῖνος λέγει, πῦρ καὶ γῆν καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ ἀέρα.
But indeed, it is equally necessary that flesh and each of the other things should be the ratio, or else nothing at all; for it is because of this that flesh and bone and each of the other things will exist, and not because of the matter which he mentions—fire and earth and water and air.
ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ἄλλου μὲν λέγοντος συνέφησεν ἂν ἐξ ἀνάγκης, σαφῶς δὲ οὐκ εἴρηκεν.
But though he would have agreed of necessity if another had said this, he has not stated it clearly.
περὶ μὲν οὖν τούτων δεδήλωται καὶ πρότερον·
Now concerning these things, it has been clarified also before.
ὅσα δὲ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν τούτων ἀπορήσειεν ἄν τις, ἐπανέλθωμεν πάλιν· τάχα γὰρ ἂν ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐπορήσαιμέν τι πρὸς τὰς ὕστερον ἀπορίας.
But let us return again to the difficulties which one might raise concerning these same points; for perhaps from them we may obtain some help for our later difficulties.

Notes

  1. §1.10ψελλιζομένῃ — Present participle middle-passive dative feminine singular of ψελλίζομαι (to lisp, speak haltingly), serving as the complement to the verb ἔοικεν (resembles). It characterizes the subject ἡ πρώτη φιλοσοφία ("first philosophy", here referring historically to the earliest stage of philosophy).
  2. §1.10τῷ λόγῳ — Here, λόγος does not mean "reason" or "speech" in a general sense, but rather the "ratio" or "proportion/formula" that constitutes a compound (such as bone). Aristotle interprets Empedocles' focus on the mixing ratio as a precursor to his own concept of "form/essence".
  3. §1.10ἄλλου μὲν λέγοντος — Genitive absolute construction. In correlation with ἂν + aorist indicative (συνέφησεν ἂν) in the apodosis, it represents a past contrary-to-fact condition ("if someone else had said it").

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Metaphysics §1.10. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg025.humanitext-grc2:1.10

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