Twenty-four Dialogues of Plato

There are principles of all existing things, but not all in the same manner. One must assume, it seems, either two active principles or one that is passive Greek: "paschein" – to be acted upon or to undergo change.. Some later thinkers suggest three principles: they claim there is one active principle and one passive. To say that there are three elements Greek: "stoicheia" – the fundamental building blocks or underlying principles of reality. might be considered based on these and similar arguments. Such a view would seem to have some reason, as we said before. However, assuming more than three is no longer reasonable. For the role of being acted upon, a single subject is sufficient.

If there were four principles, there would be two pairs of contraries Greek: "enantiōseis" – oppositions, such as hot vs. cold or rare vs. dense.. He says that apart from these substances, an intermediate nature exists for each pair. But if these principles can generate from one another, then one of the pairs of contraries would be redundant. At the same time, it is impossible for there to be multiple primary contrarieties. For substance Greek: "ousia" – being, or the fundamental 'thingness' of an object. is a single genus Greek: "genos" – a category or classification of being. of existence. Therefore, the principles will differ from each other only in priority and posteriority, but not in their fundamental category. For opposition always exists within a single genus, and all oppositions seem to be reducible to one. It is clear, then, that there is neither just one element nor more than two or three. But whether the number is exactly as we have said involves

After the beginning of book 7 Note: The Greek letter 'zeta' (ζ̅) stands for the number 7. thus? upon? and? hear?... logically the necessities? concerning? these?

Thus, we shall first speak regarding all becoming Greek: "genesis" – the process of coming into being or change. in a general sense. Since it is natural for us to speak of general things first and then to contemplate each thing specifically, we say that one thing comes to be from another, or one thing becomes something else. We may speak either of "simple" things or "composite" things. I mean this as follows: a man can become musical. Also, that which is "not-musical" can become musical. Or, the "not-musical man" can become a "musical man." Now, I use the term "simple" for that which is undergoing the change—the "man" and the "not-musical"—and also for the result, which is "musical." But I call it "composite" when both the subject and the result are combined—as when we say the "not-musical man" becomes "musical," or becomes a "musical man." Regarding these...