PARTS OF ANIMALS 



639 b 8 (2) (Put in three ways) : 



(a) Are we to take first the phenomena, 

 and then proceed to their Causes ? 



(b) \Mnch is the primary Cause, the 

 Final or the Efficient (Motive) ? 

 (Answered immediately : The 

 Final ; with a reference also to the 

 influence of Necessity.) 



(c) Are we to discuss first the pro- 

 cesses by which the animal is 

 formed, or the characteristics of 

 it in its completed state ? 



Answer to question (2). 



\Ve must begin with the phenomena, 

 then go on to the Causes, and the forma- 

 tive processes — or, in other words, the 

 Final Cause concerns us first and foremost. 

 This differs from the practice of the early 

 philosophers, who concerned themselves 

 with the Material Cause, though some- 

 times also with the Efficient (Motive) 

 CiQse. We must begin at the End, not 

 at the beginning. 

 G40 b 17 Thus we must consider not merely the 



primary substances, but the " uniform " 

 parts, which are made out of them, and 

 also the " non-uniform " parts. In doing 

 this, we shall be paying attention to the 

 Formal Cause, which is more important 

 than the Material Cause : the animal as 

 a finished whole is more significant than 

 the substances out of which it was made. 



640 b 80 But mere form or shape is not enough : 



" shaped matter " is not an animal. 

 *' Form " in its full and true sense involves 

 ** Soul " : " Soul " somehow is the 

 animal's Efficient and Final Cause. Act- 

 ually, it is not Soul in its entirety, but 



