The Art of Medicine

Therefore, Aristoteles Aristotle called this hou heneka that for the sake of which. For it is for the sake of the end that whatever is done is done: as good digestion of food is for the sake of health; the descent of food into the bottom of the stomach is for the sake of good digestion; a walk after dinner is so that food may descend to the floor of the stomach. For when it clings to the opening of the stomach, it is poorly digested and consequently corrupted. The end is also called the most perfect and most powerful cause, as it is the cause of all others. For it is for the sake of this that the remaining causes occur. For matter seeks form; the efficient cause introduces the form into the matter through the desire for the end. We have explained these things about causes more fully for an easier understanding of what we said before about substantial differences. Differences are also taken from effect and office: for example, the effect of natiuus calor innate heat is digestion, whereas the effect of external heat is corruption. The office of the physician is to preserve life; the office of the poisoner is to destroy it. Parts are also used for differences: as, the parts of the human body are the head, thorax, belly, etc. The parts of medicine are the healthy, the morbid, and the neutral. Therefore, the best definitions are always constituted from the genus and substantial differences, if it is at all possible. Definitions are also constituted from causes, either some or all. For sometimes one, sometimes several, and sometimes all differences of causes are contained in a definition.