ARISTOTLE 



778 a 



Tovroiv ovuev eveKa rov tolovtov ovt ecmv ovre 

 ytverai. o^^aA/xos' />tev yap eveKo. rov, yXavKos 

 o ov)( evcKo, Tov, ttXtjv av lSlov fj rod yevovg tovto 

 TO TTado'S. ovre 8' ctt' ivLCOv npos tov Xoyov 

 35 avvreivei tov Trjg ovaiag, aAA' wg i^ dvdyKrjs 

 778 b yiyvofievcov elg Trjv vX7]v /cat ttjv KLVi]aauav dpxW 



avaKT€ov TCLS aLTiag. coairep yap eXexOr] KaT 

 apxds €v ToZs 7Tp(jL)Tois Adyots", ov Sid to yiyveadai 

 eKaoTOV voiov tl, 8id tovto ttolov tl cgtIv, oaa 

 TeTay/jieva /cat ojpiojxeva epya ttjs (jivoecos ioTLV, 

 5 dXXd fidXXov 8ta to elvai roiaSt yiyverai roiavTa' 

 TTj yap ovata rj yeveais dKoXovdel /cat ttjs ovaias 

 ev€Ka eariv, aAA' ovx avTT) rfj yeveaet. ol 8' 

 apxcuoL (pvatoXoyoi rovvavTiov (pT^drjaav. tovtov 

 o aiTLov OTL ovx ewpwv irXeLovs ovcras rds atrta?, 



oAAa fJLOVOV T7]V TTJS vXt)? /Cttl TTJV TTJ^ KLVqaCCOS , 



10 /cat TavTas dSiopiOTios, Trjg 8e rov Xoyov /cat ttjs 

 tov Te'Aous" dv€TnaK€7TTCos elxov. 

 "EcTTi jxev ovv eKaoTov cveKa tov, ytVerai 8' ■^'877 



" i.e., serves no purpose, is not on account of any Final 

 Cause. — In view of the discoveries of modern genetics, 

 Aristotle's clear-cut distinction may be somewhat misleading ; 

 but it will alwaj^s remain true that some characteristics are 

 more " trivial " than others. \\Tiether the genes control 

 individual characters such as the possession of blue eyes 

 instead of brown, as well as specific characters such as the 

 possession of red feathers instead of black, and phyletic 

 characters such as the possession of a liver instead of a hepato- 

 pancreas — is still uncertain ; but it is likely that they do. 



^ The logos defines the thing's essence, see Introd. § 10; 

 and cf. below, 778 b 17 toiovSc t,<uov viroKeirai ov, and the 

 context. 



' i.e., the Material Cause and the Motive Cause. Cf. 

 Bk. II, init. and Introd. § 6. 



" See P.A. I. 640 a 10 flF. 



4SQ 



