232 GIORDANO BRUNO PART 



minimum is all reality, is the maximum, that the know- 

 ledge of it gives us that of the whole. 



Uniqueness In the third place the atomic theory offers an 

 things. explanation of the uniqueness of each natural existence, 

 which Bruno's philosophical theory already assumed. 

 The ever moving atoms present a mechanism by which 

 the infinite diversity and infinite succession of change 

 in things may be brought about. The appearance of 

 similarity, exactness, etc., is, as we have found, an 

 illusion. Mathematically exact figures or bodies a 

 true circle, for example are unattainable by sense, 

 even if they exist in nature ; but they do not exist in 

 Sense and nature. Sense is the primary faculty, through which 

 knowledge. ^ mater i a i o f ^\\ others must pass, so that what has 

 not entered through that window of the soul cannot 

 be known at all. But a single point out of place on 

 the circumference of a circle makes it cease to be a 

 true circle, and our sense-apprehension is necessarily 

 so confused and indistinct that we cannot distinguish 

 between the true and the false, where truth depends 

 upon so inappreciable a difference. Moreover sense- 

 Relativity, knowledge is relative to the knowing subject, or to 

 the subject's position with regard to the object. What 

 to the eye of one is too large is to another too small ; 

 a sound which is pleasant to one ear is not so to 

 another ; the food which to the hungry man tastes 

 sweet, to the full man is nauseous ; the ape to the ape 

 is beautiful, but to the man is of laughter-inspiring 

 ugliness. Hence the circumspect will not say " this 

 has a good odour, taste, sound, this has a beautiful 

 appearance," but will add " to me," " now," " some- 

 times." Nothing is good or evil, pleasant or painful, 

 beautiful or ugly, simply and absolutely ; but the same 

 objects in relation to individual subjects receive from 



