Physiological Introduction or Principles of the Human Body

but to generate is to produce dependently upon it. In this way, material forms are produced, or elicited, from the Aristotelian primary matter as a subject of sustenance. In that other way, however, the rational soul is not produced, or elicited, sustainingly from matter as a subject of sustenance, but it requires having matter as a subject of reception, or information. Therefore, notwithstanding this, the rational soul is created by GOD alone. 4. That without a subject, or a certain primary matter, there cannot be a substantial natural change, just as the same is apparent, and much more clearly, in accidental changes, for example, when warm water changes into cold; certainly, the common subject of this change is clearly felt to be water. With these things supposed:

They say 1. That the Aristotelian primary matter exists and is the intrinsic material principle of the human body, and therefore one of its essential parts. The reason for the first, according to these same Galenists of ours, is: first, because no whole naturally comes from the nothingness of a subject according to the fourth supposition, but all things are made from some subject, or matter. Thus, fire, for example, is made from wood, insofar as this remains while it ignites according to the portion by which it can ignite. But this very power remaining in the wood is the Aristotelian primary matter. Therefore, etc. For it is repugnant for power to be destroyed by the act, and thus it is repugnant for that which was able to be fire not to remain when wood becomes fire. Furthermore, because if there were no primary matter, or subject, something would be made from the nothingness of itself and of its subject, which is contrary to the sense of the cited axiom. Add that to produce a thing from the nothingness of a subject is to create it, which, however, is above the powers of a creature; hence, a subject is required. Furthermore, because for the generation of bodies a first subject is required, but elementary atoms are not the first subject, or primary matter. Therefore, Aristotelian primary matter is that first subject, for no other material principle is given. They prove the minor premise: That which consists of parts cannot be primary matter, but any elementary atom, for example, consists of parts. Therefore, such an atom cannot be primary matter. They prove the minor premise: That which is generated or corrupted is composed of parts. But an atom is a body that is generated and corrupted by secondary causes,