Eight motions and the cold-water objection

Use in the book

The third main proof in VI.12 tests whether body moves itself under any of the eight headings. In self-heating it would have to possess the heat it gives and lack the heat it receives at the same time. An objector proposes water’s retained virtual coldness: after heating, its native power restores actual coldness. The Platonist replies allow either external elements cooling it, or an inward quality-producing power whose own source is incorporeal substance. The second reply therefore distinguishes actual quality, productive power and substantial source rather than merely declaring water unable to cool.

After rejecting bodily self-generation and self-corruption, Ficino reduces growth and diminution to alteration and the generation or loss of bodily parts, and condensation and rarefaction to alteration. Locomotion by passage or circuit is then excluded because a body unable to move itself to its own internal termini is said to be still less capable of reaching external termini. This is the work’s historical metaphysical taxonomy and causal inference, not a modern account of heat flow or mechanics.

Places to read

1. VI.12.13The eightfold list, heating contradiction and water objection introduce the proof.
2. VI.12.15, VI.12.16Dependent changes and local movement complete the exclusion of bodily self-motion.

Translation in this edition

“Virtually” here means in an effective power, not unreal or digitally simulated. The edition preserves “own” and “another’s” termini to expose the disputed inference rather than substituting an unexplained general appeal to inertia.

alteratio; generatio; corruptio

alteratio; generatio; corruptio. Printed forms: alteratio, generatio, corruptio.

Change of quality, coming-to-be and corruption. These first three motions receive distinct refutations before several remaining motions are reduced to them. References: VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

augmentum; decrementum

augmentum; decrementum. Printed forms: augmentum, decrementum.

Increase and decrease in bodily magnitude. Growth and decline require changes of qualities and the generation or corruption of bodily parts. References: VI.12.13, VI.12.15. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

calefacere; calefieri

calefacere; calefieri. Printed forms: calefacere; calefacit; calefit.

To heat and to become heated. A supposed body heating itself would both have and lack the heat in the same respect, producing the initial aporia. References: VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

calor; calere

calor; calere. Printed forms: calens; calet; calor; calorem; caloris.

Heat and being hot, either quality or the illustrative activity of fire. The distributed warm-constitution account, concentrated fiery form and self-heating contradiction use heat in different argumentative roles. References: VI.1.3, VI.2.21, VI.12.9, VI.12.10, VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

condensatio; rarefactio; progressio

condensatio; rarefactio; progressio. Printed forms: condensatio, rarefactio, progressio.

Condensation, rarefaction and progression or locomotion. They complete the eightfold historical taxonomy, which is broader than change of place alone. References: VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

frigefieri; scaturire

frigefieri; scaturire. Printed forms: frigefieri; scaturiat.

To be cooled and to spring forth from a source. Cooling may be external; alternatively productive quality flows from power and ultimately incorporeal substance in the Platonist reply. References: VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

frigiditas secundum virtutem

frigiditas secundum virtutem. Printed forms: frigiditatem quandam secundum virtutem; frigiditatem secundum actum.

Coldness virtually in a productive power versus coldness actually present. The water objection preserves a native power after heating; the reply distinguishes that power from actual quality and its substantial source. References: VI.12.13. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

partes novae; veteres

partes novae; veteres. Printed forms: novae in nobis partes; veteres corrumpuntur.

New bodily parts generated and old parts corrupted. This supplies Ficino’s stated account of growth and diminution, rather than a separate proof from nutrition alone. References: VI.12.15. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

termini proprii; alieni

termini proprii; alieni. Printed forms: terminos alienos; terminos proprios.

The body’s own internal termini and externally directed termini. Ficino infers incapacity for the more remote movement from incapacity for internal self-change; the inferential step remains explicit. References: VI.12.16. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.

transitus; circuitus

transitus; circuitus. Printed forms: circuitum atque transitum; transitum vel circuitum.

Passage from place to place and circular motion. The last bodily alternatives are external relative to prior internal alterations and generation. References: VI.12.16. See Eight motions and the cold-water objection.