存在论中的潜能与成全——《形而上学》第9卷中两种意义的潜能与成全

Potentiality and Actuality in Ontology——Two Interpretations of Potentiality and Actuality in Volume 9 of Metaphysics

潜能与成全是亚里士多德的核心概念。在《形而上学》第9卷中,亚里士多德分析了两种潜能与成全的关系。一种是严格意义,另一种是延伸意义。延伸意义是指实体的生成(从质料到实体的生成完成),严格意义是指实体的功能发挥或能力运用(实体从禀有功能而未发挥到功能发挥或能力运用)。并且这两种意义是对应着第9卷第6章后半部分讨论的运动与成全的区分,延伸意义即实体的生成,对应严格区分后的运动,目的不在活动之中并且现在态与完成态不是同一的;一开始讨论的严格意义或运动意义即实体的功能发挥,才是指严格区分后的成全,目的在活动之中并且现在态与完成态是同一的。进一步来说,这两种意义又是对应第9卷第1章讨论的两种潜能的区分,延伸意义即实体的生成对应被动的潜能,生成是从被动者或受作用者的角度而言的;严格意义即实体的功能发挥对应主动的潜能,功能发挥是从主动者或作用者的角度而言的。只有把亚里士多德的这三个"二分"联系起来,才能更好地理解潜能与成全。

Potentiality and actuality are the central ideas of Aristotle. In Volume 9 of Metaphysics Aristotle analyzes the relation between potentiality and actuality. One refers to the strict sense; the other refers to the extended meaning. The latter refers to the generation of substance （from matter to substance, and the former refers to the exercising of function of the substance（from having but not exercising to exercising）. Secondly, the two senses are corresponding to the distinguishing of motion and actuality in Chapter 6 of Volume 9, while the extended sense （the generation of substance） is corresponding to motion after the strict distinguishing, the end is not in it and the present and the perfect tense are not the same; the strict sense （the exercising of function of the substance） is corresponding to actuality, the end is in it and the present and the perfect tenses are the same. Thirdly, the two senses are corresponding to the two senses of potentiality in Chapter 1 of Volume 9, the extended sense is corresponding to the passive potentiality, and generation is from the aspect of the patient; and the strict sense is corresponding to the active potentiality, and the exercising of function is from the aspect of the agent. All the three dichotomies in Aristotle must be linked, so we can understand well of potentiality and actuality.