Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana: or a fabrick of science natural, upon the hypothesis of atoms / Founded by Epicvrvs, repaired [by] Petrvs Gassendvs, augmented [by] Walter Charleton ... The first part.

  • Charleton, Walter, 1620-1707.
Date:
1654
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Physiologia Epicuro-Gassendo-Charltoniana: or a fabrick of science natural, upon the hypothesis of atoms / Founded by Epicvrvs, repaired [by] Petrvs Gassendvs, augmented [by] Walter Charleton ... The first part. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    (2) Others placing the ElTential Propriety of a Body in its Extenjicn into the three Dimenftons of Longitude^ Latitude^ and Profundity. Thus Arijlotle {Nat. Aufcult. 4. cap. ^. ) ftridly enquiring into the Quiddity of Place, faith molt profoundly Zv /Tf/cc, |w.m)co5, ttAcct©^, jSctOdc, oTso^^elof Xwu.ac.'mv; Sane Dimenfones tres habet, longitudinem, latitudinem , fr altitudinem, quibus omne Cor¬ pus defnitm. And thus Ves Cartes {princip. Philof. Part.i. Se6i.a^.') Naturam materia five Corporis in miverftm fpedati, non confiftere in eo quod fit res dura , •uel ponderofa^ vel color at a, vel ali quo alio modo fenfus afficiens •, fed tantum in eo^ quod fit res extenfa in longum latum & profundum: that the ElTcnce of matter, or a Body confidered in the Ge¬ neral doth not confift inks hardnefsj weight, colour, or any other rela¬ tion to the fenfes 5 but only in its Extenlion into the three Diraen- fions. , , And (3) Others, by an cxcelfive acutenefs of Wit* dividing the Subflance of a Body from the thereof, and diftinguidiing fluan- tit’^ from JExtenjion, Of this immoderately fubtle Sedt are all thole, who conceived that mofi: Bodies might be fo ratified and condenfed , as that by Rarefadion they may acquire more, and by Condenfation lefs of Extenfion, then what they have before in their native dimenfions. We (siy immoderately fubtle^ becaufe whoever lhallwith due attention of mind profound the nature of Rarefadion and Condenfation, muft foon perceive ^ that by thofe motions a Body doth fuffer no more then a meer Mutation of Figure, but its Quantity admits of neither Augmentation, nor Diminution. So as thofe Bodies may be faid to be Rare^ betwixt whofe parts many Intervals or Intcrftices, repkted with no Bodies, are in. terfperfed? and thofe Bodies affirmed to be , whofe parts mutu¬ ally approaching each to other, either diminilb, or totally exclude all the Intervals or intercedent Diftances. And when it cveneth, that the Intervals betwixt the diftant parts of a Body, are totally excluded by the mutual accefs, convention and contaifl of its parts.* that Body muft become fo abfolutely, or ( rather) fupcrlatively Denfe, as to imagine a poffibility of greater Denfity, is manifeftly^^abfurd. But yet notwithftanding, is not^ that Body thus extremly Denfe, of lefs Extenfion., then when having its parts more remote each from other, it poflefled a larger fpacc: in refpedi, that whatever of Exten¬ fion is found in the Pores, or Intervals made by the mutually rece- ing parts, ought not tobeaferibed to the Body ratified, but to thofe fmall Inanities that are intercepted among the diftbeiated particles. For inftance ^ when we obferve a Sponge dipt in Liquor to become turgent and fwell into a greater bulke •, we cannot juftly conceive, that the Sponge is made more Extenfe in all its parts, then when it VTas dry or comprefled ; but only, that it hath its pores more dilated or open, and is therefore diffufed through a greater fpacc. But we may not digrefs into a full examen of the nature of RarcFadion and Condenfation *, efpccially fince the Syntax of our Phyfical Spccul^ions will lead us hereafter into a full and proper confiderati- ,on thereof. Ofthe nature of the other ingredient of theUniverfe, INANITY, there are fcveral Deferiptions ; D (0 Art. 3. Four Deferip¬ tions of the nature of Ina* nity, by Epku- TUI. Cleomedes, EwphicHs. Arifloti'e.