Philoponus: Against Proclus on the Eternity of the World
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Share, Michael, PUBLISHER: Duckworth Publishing, In one ong>ofong> ong>theong> most original books ong>ofong> late antiquity, Philoponus argues for ong>theong> Christian view that matter can be created by God out ong>ofong> nothing. It needs no prior matter for its creation. At ong>theong> same time, Philoponus transforms Aristotle's conception ong>ofong> prime matter as an incorporeal 'something - I know not what' that serves as ong>theong> ultimate subject for receiving extension and qualities. On ong>theong> contrary, says Philoponus, ong>theong> ultimate subject is extension. It is three-dimensional extension with its exact dimensions and any qualities unspecified. Moreover, such extension is ong>theong> defining characteristic ong>ofong> body. Hence, so far from being incorporeal, it is body, and as well as being prime matter, it is form - ong>theong> form that constitutes body. This uses, but entirely disrupts, Aristotle's conceptual apparatus. Finally, in Aristotle's scheme ong>ofong> categories, this extension is not to be classified under ong>theong> second category ong>ofong> quantity, but under ong>theong> first category ong>ofong> substance as a substantial quantity.