Prolegomena

John Philoponus' New Definition of Prime Matter

“…62 But on one occasion (in GC 87. , Philoponus points out that from the commonly acknowledged fact that growth is the increase of an already existing magnitude it does not follow that growth may not take place out of potential body, though he admits that Aristotle produced some cogent arguments against this elsewhere. 63 However, Aristotle solved the case of genera- 61 This interpretation of Aristotle is also foWld at 74.25-75.2. 62 The most important one for him being the fact that points do not add anything to size.…”

“…57,[71][72]. 61 Proclus is able to allow a very literal interpretation of 7t<XpaA.aj3rov (Tim. 30 a 4): the Demiurge 'takes over' chaotic matter from higher causes, cf.…”

“…proceeds in this way only because it is taken for granted (ro<; ro~oA.o 'YTI~EvO'\)) that that which diminishes does not change into potential magnitude. 61 (Philop. in GC 320 b 25, 86.7-16) Indeed Aristotle hints at this general background in the text under discussion when he stipulates that the matter of what is generated is already part of some kind of body (320 b [22][23]. The underlying premiss that nothing is generated from non-being nor perishes into non-being, is something the reader of Aristotle should be aware of in order to fully understand Aristotle's argument, and therefore our commentator provides it.…”

“…In the last phrase ouoe picks up the next aporia, not material dimension mentioned in the last sentence. 61 See Chapter 2, p. 121 (Tl9). 62 There is one noticeable exception: Anscombe ( 1961 ), an interesting essay devoted to Aristotle's search for substance, includes a lucid discussion of some of the issues to be raised below, including the categorial status of the differentia.…”

“…60 Consequently, in discussing Aristotle's notion of intelligible matter Alexander is happy to identify it as 'the three-dimensional'. 61 This is indeed a very effective way of blocking Pythagorean speculations about the mathematical structure of the universe: the principles of ' 8 Ps.-Alexander in Metaph. 814.22-29 (cf.…”