ARISTOTLE 



in Aristotle's mind u (1) that the male represents the full 

 development of which Nature is capable ; it is hotter 

 than the femstle, and more " able " t<5 eflFect concoction, 

 etc. ; but at the same time (2) the female is so universal 

 and regular an occurrence that it cannot be dismissed 

 out of hand as " unnatural " ; besides, the female is 

 essential for generation, which is a typically " natural " 

 process (see § 5). 

 Nature (14) This opposition of " Nature " to " Nature " is, however, 

 versus not unique, for it is found elsewhere in Aristotle ; e.g., 



ature. ^^ G.A. 770 b 20 he can say that to napa (f>vaiv is in a 



way Kara (f>vaiv, viz., when rj Kara to elSos (j>vais has not 

 mastered -q Kara ttjv vXrjv <f)vais ; and at P. A. 663 b 22 

 he speaks of r/ /cara top Xoyov (f>vaii making use of the 

 products of rj dvayKaia (fyvais in order to serve a purpose 

 {cf. also P. A. 641 a 26, 642 a 17 ; at Phys. 199 a 31 

 Aristotle distinguishes <f>vai,s ois vXr] and ^uaiy ws yMpifyq, 

 the latter being a reAo? and 17 atVia 17 ov eveKa. Cf. 

 729 a 34, n.). 

 Nature: (15) It is impossible and unnecessary to provide here a full 

 as purpose ; account of what Aristotle intended by the term <f>vais, 



since a proper understanding of it can best be obtained 

 by reading Aristotle's works themselves, and for this 

 G.A. is one of the most useful, because it is pervaded 

 bj' references to <f>vai5. A few remarks may however 

 be made here about (j>vat.s in its highest manifestation, 

 compsrable (16) By Aristotle, (f)vais and the products of ^vols are con- 

 to an stantlj' compared with rixvr] and the products of t€xvt] : 

 " ■ ^voLs works to produce a finished product, a reAoj, just 

 as the artist or craftsman does " ; and (f>vais, again like 

 the artist, uses " instruments," charged with a specific 

 " movement," in order to bring these products to fulfil- 

 Nature as ment. And the most typical of the products of <f)vais 

 Soul. are, of course, living creatures ; indeed, Aristotle can 

 speak of the <f>vais of each living thing as being identical 

 with nutritive Soul (741 a 1, where see note, and cf. 

 P. A. 641 b 9), the Soul which generates and fashions it 

 and promotes its growth ; and again {De caelo 301 b 17), 

 (l>vais is to be regarded as a principle of movement in the 



<• <i>v(ri^ is also compared (744 b 16) to a careful housekeeper, who 

 throws away nothing that is useful ; or to a cook (743 a 31 ; cf. 

 767 a 17 ff.), tempering the heat of her stove so that the food she is 

 preparing may be done to a turn. See also Su/a^erpia, § 39. 



xlvi 



