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OTHER FORMS AND MEANS OF KNOWLEDGE.
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the effect not being otherwise possible ; so that being inferred from the effect' would be the characteristic of Potency".
This definition of Potency cannot be right.--"Why?"-Because the effect is actually produced otherwise, that is, the effect is produced even without such a distinct thing as 'Potency'-" How so?"-It proceeds from the Object itself.-Because this effect proceeds from the Object--the Thingtherefore the existence of the effect is possible even without the Potency; so that what is the use of assuming the Potency as something apart from the Thing itself ?-(1612)
TEXT (1613).
FIRE, AS APART FROM WATER AND OTHER THINGS, IS CLEARLY PERCEIVED AS CAPABLE OF burning; WHAT THEN IS THE USE OF THE SAID
POTENCY ?-(1613)
COMMENTARY.
The same idea is further clarified
TEXT (1614). IF IT BE URGED THAT-"THE POTENCY IS NOT SOMETHING ABSOLUTELY
DIFFERENT (FROM THE THING), IT IS OF A DUAL CHARACTER, BEING BOTH (DIFFERENT AND NON-DIFFERENT)", --TREN (THE ANSWER IS THAT) IT CANNOT BE SO, BECAUSE OF SELF-CONTRADICTION. AND FURTHER, ITS nondifference (FROM THE THING) WOULD BE COG
NISED BY PERCEPTION.-(1614)
COMMENTARY The following might be urged :-"The objection urged would apply if we held that the Potency is something absolutely different from the Thing; as a matter of fact, however, we regard it to be of a dual character, being both different and non-different".
This cannot be right.-" Why? "--Because of self-contradiction if it is different, how could it be non-different at the same time? If it is nondifferent, how could it be different ? There is clear self-contradiction if two mutually exclusive properties-the presence of one of which must mean the absence of the other and vice versa-are attributed to the same thing.In fact, being another consists in not being the same, as is found in the case of another self'.
Granting that the Potency has the dual character,--even so, that Potency of the dual character is cognisable by Perception itself ; because the nondifference of the Potency from the Thing is also cognised by Perception,and not absolute difference only; whereby it would not be perceptible. Under the circumstances, the statement that 'Potency is always cognisable from the effect' would become set aside.-(1614)