Physiological Introduction or Principles of the Human Body

as an integrated whole, that is, an organized thing, which is fashioned not only from the parts of a body mentioned above, but also from integrating parts like organs already finished by mixture, such as the hand, foot, heart, liver, head, etc. From this fourfold consideration of the body, it is evident that any body is either the principle itself or something composed of principles. Hence, regarding these:

Prænot. 2. A principle in general, according to Aristotle 5. metaph. cap. 1., is the first thing from which something is, or is made, or is known. That is, it is everything from which something proceeds in any way. In these definitions, the term "whence" and "from which" implies a priority of nature or time with respect to that of which it is said to be a principle. Through the remaining words, a certain order and connection to those things of which it is said to be a principle are suggested, and these two things are required for the nature of a principle. A principle is either external or internal. The former is that from which a thing has its being, as if from an external moving cause; thus, GOD is the external principle with respect to the entire created world. The latter is that from which a thing consists as if from a constituent or component part; thus, the body