On the Soul (De Anima) with Simplicius Commentary

however, in the same time applies itself to white and to black. Hence it applies itself impartibly; and on this account is incorporeal. For, if it apprehended the black and white according to another and another part, it would not be able to distinguish the white from the black. For no one distinguishes that which is seen by himself from that which is seen by another.

That the phantasy The faculty of imagination., also, is incorporeal and impartible, is evident from the following arguments. For whence comes it to pass that the supervening types, or impressions, do not obliterate the pre-existent types? which, if it were a body, would be the case, as is evident in wax; in which the supervening impressions obliterate the pre-subsisting ones. The vegetative soul, also, which is subordinate to sense; and physical reasons themselves, are clearly demonstrated to be impartible, and on this account incorporeal. For in each part of the seed there are the same vegetative reasons, or producing principles, having an impartible subsistence, as there are in the whole seed, namely, the nutritive, the augmentative, and the plastic Form-giving. principles. For as the whole emitted seed, if it is contained in the matrix, produces a perfect animal, thus, also, if not the whole, but a part is received by the matrix, it will nevertheless generate a perfect animal. If, therefore, the vegetative reasons of the animal were a body, the principles of the head, of the feet, and of all the parts, would not be able to exist at the same time in the same part. Now, however, they are in the same part; and, therefore, they are incorporeal. For that which is impartible is also incorporeal. As, therefore, the nutritive, augmentative, and generative powers are contained in the whole tree, thus, also, they are contained in the branch and the kernel.