GENERATION OF ANIMALS 



we call matter and the Kivrjaeis of matter " {Phys. 

 2(y2 a 3-2)." 



(8) Aristotle, however, is continually drawing our attention nsed by 

 to the adroitness of Nature in emplojing the results of Mature to 

 this latter .sort of Necessity in order to serse her purpose, pu^Mse ; 

 in order to achieve her end. For example (738 a 33 ff.), 



the production of " residue " by females is e'^ avayicqs, 

 simply because the female is not hot enough to etfect 

 complete concoction ; but Nature makes use of this 

 residue to provide the material out of which the embryo 

 is to be formed. Other instances of things which, 

 though occurring i^ dvay/o;?, are nevertheless employed 

 bv Nature eveKo. tlvos, will be found at, e.g., 739 b 28, 

 743 a 36 ff.. 755 a 22, 776 a 15 ff., b 33. See also P.A. 

 642 a 31, 663 b 13, b 20 ff. On the other hand. Nature 

 cannot always manage to do this, and what results then 

 is a useless residue (e.g., excrements), or a " coUiques- 

 cence " (P.A. 677 a 1-2 ff.). These by-products, how- 

 ever, may still be regarded as " natural," '' because they 

 are of general occurrence (that is one definition of what 

 is " natural"; see G.A. 727 b 29, 770 b 10 ff., 777 a 20 ff., 

 P.A. 663 b 28). When, however. Nature is more 

 seriously thwarted by the indeterminateness or the 

 unevenness of matter (G.A. 778 a 7 ; «•/. App. A § 11), 

 we find unnatural results occurring, such as monstrosi- 

 ties and deformities (see G.A. IV. 766 a 18 et passim).' 



(9) The "simple" or "absolute" Necessity described in(iii)"ab- 

 the preceding paragraphs refers only to the limited field 8?l«te " 



of some particular yiyvo/ievov, l.e.l to the process by the'^u^n/verse 

 means of which some particular natural object is pro- as a whole. 

 duced and to the Causes therein concerned. But there 

 is a wider and more universal meaning of " simple " or 

 " absolute " Necessity (which we may, if we like, 

 consider as being an extension by Aristotle of the 

 narrower meaning of Necessity as applied to the yeVcaij 

 of individual things, though it is really on a different 



" The verb avfi^iveLv (sometimes in the phrase <rvMi3aiVti e^ at-oiyicrff ) 

 is frequently used with reference to the results of this sort of Necessity, 

 as being facts which merely " occur " and are not designed to forward 

 any purpose. 



*" A " colliquescence " may be an unnatural by-product ; see G.A. 

 724 b 26-29 and § 67 below. 



<^ For further notes on " Nature," see §§ 12 fT. 



xliii 



