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54 Ibid.
From God (and His absolute knowledge, His generosity and His
perfection) eternally emanates or overflows an intellect that is similar to
Him (as an image of Him). Al-Frb called this the second, which
means the second existence, and the first intellect. It is a second level of
existence; Gods existence is the first level. With regard to spirits and
intellects, it is the first intellect or spirit.
This first intellect (al-caql al-awwal) is incorporeal substance; it is
not material.56 This intellect undergoes two types of intellectual activity.
First, it thinks its own essence, and as a result of its substantification in its
own essence the existence of the first heaven (as-sam al-l) follows
necessarily.57 Second, it thinks the first (the necessary being, God), and
from this activity a third level of existence comes into being, which is the
second intellect. This first intellect (al-caql al-awwal), the second existent,
is in charge of the motion of the outermost celestial sphere (al-falak al-
akbar)58 or first heaven (as-sam al-l).
The intellect in the third level of existence is also not in matter. Its
substance is intellect and it also has two intellectual activities: First, it
thinks its own essence, and as a result of its substantification in its own
essence, the existence of the sphere of the fixed stars follows necessarily.
Second, it thinks of the first (the necessary being, God). As a result of this
thinking, a fourth level of existence follows and comes into existence.59
56 Ibid., p. 100.
57 Ibid.
God = the first (the necessary being) emanations from him follow:
All celestial bodies by their nature move in circles. Since the circle is
the perfect geometrical shape, the circular motion is most suitable to the
celestial bodies.60 The most excellent of the celestial bodies is the first
heaven; all others follow according to rank and order until the sphere of
the moon is reached.61
It is clear from the diagram that the celestial bodies consist of nine
different ranks of spherical body. The first contains one body which moves
in one circular direction. Its motion is very fast. The second (the fixed
stars) is also one body but contains a number of bodies which have a
common motion, and all of them together within the second have two
motions in which they all participate. The third and the rest of the celestial
bodies to the ninth each contain one body, each one with its own particular
motion. Although all of them move in circles, their motion differs in
certain respects. For example, the motion of the sphere of the moon is
faster than that of Saturn.
60 Ibid., p. 104.
61 Ibid., p. 114.
62 Ibid., p. 134.
122
63 The sphere of the fixed stars is different in substance from that of the moon.
123
physical bodies powers arise too.64 These powers include the power by
which they move themselves (an internal force); the power by which they
act upon one another (an active power); and the power by which they
receive one anothers actions (a passive power).
From the existence of these elements, other bodies follow necessarily,
and from the mixture of these elements many contrary bodies arise. These
bodies mix either exclusively with one another, or with one another and
with the elements, so that there is a second mixture, and powers, and so
on.
Minerals arise as the result of a mixture that is near the elements and
less complex. Plants arise as the result of a more complex mixture.
Animals, which lack speech and thought, arise as the result of a mixture
which is more complex than that of plants. Humans alone arise as the
result of the last and highest mixture.
All these existent things are natural material things; they are called
sublunary bodies because they exist below the celestial bodies.
Compare these powers with John Lockes account of active and passive power, in
64
intellect (al-caql al-fcil), also called the holy spirit (r al-qudus). This
intellect is active in humanity, and unites heaven with the sublunary
world. These three levels are purely spiritual, purely incorporeal, and non-
material. Their very essence is a transcendent entity that has neither
substratum nor a relation to what is material. The fourth level of existence
is the soul. The fifth level of existence is the form. The sixth level of
existence is the matter. The soul, form, and matter are also incorporeal.
They can enter into certain kinds of relations with material bodies.
intellects intelligized things and three things do not come from them.66
The following is a comparison between al-Frbs The views of the people
of the virtuous state [r ahl al-madna al-fdila] and Commentary on
the treatise of the great Zeno of Greece [Sharh risla Zenon al-kabr al-
ynn]. 67 Numbering is added for the sake of clarification.
67 The text is from al-Frb, al-Frb on the perfect state, pp. 101, 103, and 105.
While Risalat Zenon al-kabir is from the Arabic (al-Frb, Sharh risla Zenon, pp. 68),
the translation is based on a revision of that of Joseph Kenny, Al-Frb and the
contingency argument for Gods existence; as my reading of the Arabic text differs from
Kennys.
126
Treatise on Zeno
Treatise on Zeno
4. This [the fourth], again, is not in matter. It thinks its own essence
and intelligizes the first. As a result of its substantification in its specific
essence, the existence of the sphere of Saturn follows necessarily, and as
a result of its thinking the first, a fifth existence follows necessarily.
Treatise on Zeno
5. The existence of the fifth, again, is not in matter. It thinks its own
essence and thinks the first. . . . [the exact same process of emanation
goes on to the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth]
The existence of this [the tenth], again, is not in matter. It thus
thinks its own essence, and it thinks the first. As a result of its
substantification, the existence of the sphere of the moon follows
necessarily, and as a result of it thinking the first, an eleventh existence
follows necessarily.
128
Treatise on Zeno
Treatise on Zeno