g. from
wood may be made both a chest and a bed. But some different things
must have their matter different; e.g. a saw could not be made of
wood, nor is this in the power of the moving cause; for it could not
make a saw of wool or of wood. But if, as a matter of fact, the same
thing can be made of different material, clearly the art, i.e. the
moving principle, is the same; for if both the matter and the moving
cause were different, the product would be so too.
When one inquires into the cause of something, one should, since
'causes' are spoken of in several senses, state all the possible
causes. what is the material cause of man? Shall we say 'the menstrual
fluid'? What is moving cause? Shall we say 'the seed'? The formal
cause? His essence. The final cause? His end. But perhaps the latter
two are the same.-It is the proximate causes we must state. What is
the material cause? We must name not fire or earth, but the matter
peculiar to the thing.
Regarding the substances that are natural and generable, if the
causes are really these and of this number and we have to learn the
causes, we must inquire thus, if we are to inquire rightly. But in the
case of natural but eternal substances another account must be
given. For perhaps some have no matter, or not matter of this sort but
only such as can be moved in respect of place. Nor does matter
belong to those things which exist by nature but are not substances;
their substratum is the substance. E.g what is the cause of eclipse?
What is its matter? There is none; the moon is that which suffers
eclipse.
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