Aristotle Complete Works (Volume 7)

Author: Miao Litian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-12-01
Features: Excerpt: Moreover, if the existence of "one" is not similar in all respects, there is nothing strange about it. For if all things were water or fire or even some other such substance, nothing would prevent people from saying that the existence of "one" has multiple forms, and each form is unique, only similar to itself. Similarly, nothing prevents some from being sparse and others from being concentrated, as long as there is no empty space in the sparse; for in the sparse, there is no void separating certain parts. Thus, one part of the whole is concentrated (and this already implies the existence of the sparse, forming the whole), and all things are equally full, though under the same conditions, some are less full than the concentration. If it is also ungenerated and endowed with infinite existence, and if it does not allow one thing and another to be infinite, then it has already imposed the existence of "one" upon it, which is impossible. For how could the whole be immovable without void? He argues that without void, there can be no motion, because the motion of all things is merely a change of place. First, many disagree with this, and believe that there is some void, though it is not a tangible substance. Rather, as Hesiod said in his discussion of generation, chaos was the first to be generated, for there must be open space among existing things. This void is like a container, and we look around within it. And without void, what could move? Anaxagoras specifically studied this issue and, though he was content merely to prove its non-existence, he still maintained that things in motion do not require void. Similarly, Empedocles also argued that all things are in perpetual motion and mixture, but void does not exist at all. He says, "There is no void in all things; where could it come from?" When things combine into a single form, becoming "one," he states that there is neither void nor fullness. For what could prevent things from being brought together with one another and transferred from one place to another, then to yet another place, and then back to their original place in endless cycles? Additionally, for things that remain in the same place and undergo changes in form—which he calls "alteration"—there is nothing to prevent them from changing from white to black or from sweet to bitter, as we have previously discussed. For void does not exist, or fullness cannot be received, and neither can prevent such changes. Thus, all things are not necessarily eternal or singular or infinite, but only many things are eternal. "One" is not self-similar or unmoving; it is not like this, nor are some many things like this. Having accepted these points, nothing in what he has said can prevent things from changing or varying; as long as all existence is "one" and in motion, differing only in quantity and quality, and as long as objects do not increase or decrease in mutual transformation, and if all things exist through their interconnectedness or dispersion. For mixtures cannot, as he said, consist of such additions or combinations, which would immediately lead to separation, or where, after some part is rubbed away, the remaining part would show differences from the separated part; rather, mixtures are arranged such that their parts become parts of what they are mixed with, and thus they are not formed by mere or such parts but are already mixed. Thus, there are no small objects anymore; all parts mix with all other parts, and the whole does the same.
Postscript: This volume includes two essays, "On Melissus, Xenophanes, and Gorgias," among others. Aristotle's Metaphysics is almost universally recognized as a cornerstone of Greek philosophy and Western culture. Yet in China, since the introduction of Western learning, it was not until the late 1950s that Mr. Wu Shoupeng provided a complete translation. Mr. Wu's dedication to this work is deeply admirable. In compiling the Complete Works of Aristotle, we have presented our own translation, which we believe is not redundant. It is a common principle that classic works have multiple translations throughout history. The Heart Sutra, for instance, though translated by Xuanzang, does not hinder the existence of six other translations, nor does it prevent the appearance of a transliteration-only version seen at the Cloud Monastery in Beijing. The Metaphysics is no different; only experts in textual criticism can tell us how many translations of it exist worldwide. In providing this translation, we have followed the principles outlined in the preface to the complete works, while also striving to use the standard terminology found in contemporary theoretical articles, without altering already established vocabulary. For example, the term idea has various translations, but we have adhered to the common rendering "form." Here, we dare to propose a new term to academia: "what it is," for the currently used term "essence" cannot correspond to Aristotle's totiereinai phrase and is insufficient to convey the form and profound meaning of the original. A literal translation of this phrase aligns well with another widely used phrase by Aristotle, to onton (as being). For this reason, we have broken the convention of not including lengthy notes in the complete works and have added a more extensive note to this volume to explain the rationale. In short, we aim to make the translation accessible to domestic readers while offering a new perspective to China's academic community. Is this appropriate? The two sentences by Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi in praise of Xuanzang—"Guiding the great flow of the sea to cleanse the dust of labor without end, passing the long flame of wisdom to illuminate the darkness and remain perpetually bright"—have always inspired our compilation efforts for this Complete Works. "On Melissus, Xenophanes, and Gorgias" is actually composed of three short essays, titled only "On Xenophanes" (periKsenOphanous) in Beckel's catalog. Whether this work was actually written or spoken by Aristotle himself is a matter of debate among scholars. However, it remains a primary source for understanding these three early Greek philosophers. To complete this manuscript, Yan Yijun devoted significant effort, not only in translating and reviewing the text but also in handling various other tasks. Other members of the translation team, such as Yu Jiyuan, Qin Dianhua, Xu Kailai, Li Qiuling, Yu Yang, Shen Ming, and Cui Yanqiang, also contributed to the translation in different ways. Finally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated individuals at the People's University Press for their efforts in bringing this book to publication. November 1991