Physics

original: "Physicorum"; this refers to a commentary on Aristotle's Physics, likely from the 13th or 14th century.

...[divi]sible: it is not a divisible substance In Aristotelian philosophy, "substance" (substantia) refers to what a thing fundamentally is, its essence.. In another way, substance is said to be that which is a "thing"; and in this sense, it can well be accepted that the indivisible is the substance of the divisible. But yet, being divisible comes from something else; and thus the now is currently the substance of time, whose being arises from the flow of the "now" itself from the past into the future. Note that the "now" can be considered in two ways: either as it is flowing—and in this sense it is time and can be a part of time—or as it is dividing—and in this sense it is neither time nor a part of time.

In how many ways something may be in time. Chapter 14.

It remains now to speak of what it is "to be in time." For this, it must be known that something is said to be in time in four ways.

First, something is in time as in a subject; in this way, passions original: "passiones"; here meaning attributes or qualities that happen to a thing, such as duration. are in time, such as "long" and "short," or "much" and "few."

Second, something is said to be in time as that which is its substance; and thus the "now" is in time, because it is the substance of time itself.

Third, something is said to be in time as a limit in that which is limited; and thus a "designated now" is in time.

Fourth, something is said to be in time as if in a number; and this means to be measured by time or a part of time. This happens in two ways: namely, absolutely and by comparison.

Under the absolute mode, there are two further ways: namely, by priority and by posteriority.

• By priority, motion and the moving object are in time, according to their being in motion.
• By posteriority, rest and the thing at rest are in time, according to how they relate to motion.

Furthermore, "being in time by priority" occurs in two ways: being measured by the whole of time, and being measured by a part of time. Being measured by the whole of time applies to the motion of the heavens original: "motus celi"; the circular motion of the celestial spheres which was believed to be the primary measure of all time.. Being measured by a part of time applies to all other motions.

By comparison, "being in time" is described in three ways:

1. Either the thing being compared is immovable in its being, its power, and its action, but it is compared to a mutable or moving thing according to an "excellent duration" An existence that transcends the succession of moments but coexists with them. in "before," "after," and "concomitance." In this sense it is said: God was, God is, God will be. For the meaning, as Jerome St. Jerome (c. 347–420), a Church Father and translator of the Bible. says, is: "God was" means He was never absent; "God is" means He always is; "God will be" means He will never be lacking.

2. Or, the thing being compared is indeed immovable according to its being, but according to its power (which is joined to motion) it is "mobile" through change. In this sense, an angel is in time according to all the differences of time; because the power of an angel changes through its acts—by understanding different things and by willing. And this pertains to evening knowledge original: "cognitionem uespertinã"; a technical Scholastic term for the knowledge angels have of things in their own created nature, as opposed to "morning knowledge" (knowing things in God).. According to this, Augustine St. Augustine of Hippo (354–430). says that God moves the spiritual creature through time, but moves the bodily creature through place and time.

3. Or it is thus: that the being of the thing is "all at once" original: "totum simul"; a definition of eternity or aeviternity where everything is present without succession., but it has the potential for continuous motion—which is said to distinguish it from the motion of an angel. This happens in two ways, according to a double mode of potentiality. For there is potentiality for "where" place/location only, and potentiality for both "where" and "form." In the first way, the heavens are in time. In the second way, generable and corruptible things Things in the physical world that are born and die. are in time.

Time is divided by three differences: namely, present, past, and future.

• The past is that which was and is not.
• The present is the beginning of the future and the end of the past, joined at the instant.
• The future is that which is not, but will be.
• "Now/Already" original: "Iam" is a part of the future near the present "now."
• "Once/Formerly" original: "Olim" is...