Quantity does not seem to be subject to any material body, rather, the material body must is assumed by the quantity itself, if there is an instantiation of the thing or things themselves. E.g. 3 balls, 3 sticks, 3 stars, etc. Quantity, being inherently true to rational men, seems to simply affirm how many there was, is, or could be, with anything that may be known.
EAR
This lesson went smoother than the other two figures. I was tracking all the distinctions just fine, so perhaps that is a sign that there has been a growth in perception for these syllogisms. One thing that became more evident to me as I began to notate, and chart the syllogisms, was the positioning of the middle term across all three figures. Viz. in the first syllogism the middle is both subject, and predicate, in the second figure the middle is only the predicate, and now in the third figure the middle is only the subject. Stumbling on this made the hierarchical flow of the first figure, the categorical order of the second figure, and the convergent induction of the third figure, more obvious to me.
Maybe this will all begin to tie together the more I internalize these valid syllogisms? When possible, I’ve been trying to just meditate on different ones in atomized form, the relationships of the terms, what they are implying, thinking of the middle, the flow predication, etc. I’m avoiding any attempt to do demonstrations on my own with any ideas I already know and sticking to ABC terms. I’m interested in finding out what is next from Aristotle now that these figures have been taught to me.
EAR
Devotion, discipline, habit: these seem to be choices. Choices that are possible, choices that are difficult, choices that are formative. Time is not on our side. The clock ticks, and everything is in motion. This is not a weekly or daily choice. No, this is an hour by hour, minute by minute, second by second war for order, and assuming control over oneself. If the grace is lacking, then the intellect must make up for it, and in sheer cooperation of the will must seize the moment.
Distractions must be eliminated; total presence and full attention must be given. We must wake up, stop slouching around like a bunch of dead husks. Reason must be trained, numerical wisdom must be sought, meditations must be vividly intense, the Sacraments must be frequent, the devil squashed by the Rosary, and time must be consecrated by the Liturgy of the Hours.
These things must be necessary for our souls. We cannot do this alone, we need help, and prayers.
Deus, gratiam tuam nobis necessariam esse sentimus; adiuva nos ut tibi devotamur et ita perseveremus.
EAR
Distractions are like flies: annoying, persistent, burdensome, meddling, pestering, and should not assume priority to anyone, or anything. What is necessary, seems to be an aggressive prioritization of what is essential to the moment, and in the long run. Everything posterior to this must be deemed unnecessary. These distractions seem to actualize during meaningful pursuits of Wisdom. It then behooves the professional student to squash these distractions and not be flexible to concede precious time to these useless, inefficient, instances of urgency, obligation, and need for something, or someone else, at the student’s expense.
Time is not something we can get back, so it must be guarded, and utilized, every second to the absolute fullest. To not do so means we must not be serious in our pursuit of freedom through Wisdom.
EAR
What do I want? To study, for the sake of Wisdom, that I may enjoy: freedom, less cognitive overload, peace of mind, confidence, substance, and connections with the Saints, Doctors, and wise men who walked the same path before me. I pray this may be actualized, and I will fight for every minute to bring it into reality. I trust that God will figure out the details. What I know now, is that I am not wise, but a fool, and I wish to change this. I desire with all my soul, mind, power, and heart to change this.
Whatever I do, I take extremely seriously. Whatever I put my mind to, I go in 100%. The problem with me has been, that I have never known, in what direction, or path may lead me to freedom. I now know, and have discovered, that it is in private, consistent, relentless studying of the Classical Liberal Arts. The crucible of the professional certification I attained last year humiliated me; yet opened my eyes to the path that needed to be walked.
So, I am walking it. God will sort out the rest of it. Even if I die tomorrow, I was free.
Liber eram.
EAR.
Tomorrow, I will begin studying Classical Arithmetic from Nicomachus’ treatise, Introduction to Arithmetic, simultaneously with Aristotle’s Prior Analytics. I don’t know where the idea came from, but I got the very strong sense that it was time to start Quadrivium with the Trivium. We’ll see how it goes, or rather – where it’s going.
EAR
Memento mori.
This little nosegay of devotion is liberating to repeat when undergoing active humiliation. How liberating it is to say: “Memento mori, my death is coming. It will happen one day, and then after that, Judgement Day. That is what’s going to happen. That is the reality. That is what is on the way.” How true it is, and how much more honest it is to say: “I don’t know, I don’t know what I’m talking about.”, as Socrates so once wisely said: “I know that I know nothing.” Why would I know? Why would you ask me? You know all things, so enjoy your little victory. Your little moment of exaltation. It means nothing. Vanity, ashes, dust, and rotting flesh in the dirt fresh with worms is what it is, it is all that it is. My loss, your victory, we end up both in the ground in the end. It was, is, and always will be a waste of time, and time is all that we have. As Seneca would say: “Lay hold of today’s tasks and you will not depend so much upon tomorrow.” All of this is dust and means nothing. So go on, exalt yourself, sit on your high horse, the day of Judgement is coming. What use is it for me to waste my time in vanity, trying to be a “know it all”? For the sake of what? To prove for a moment, that I’m right? I am not right. I strive for wisdom with gritting teeth, and the pain in which my soul is wrangled and weeps for understanding; and met with silence and more obstacles, and more setbacks, and more headaches, and etc.
Deo gratias, Deo gratias, Deo gratias.
If humility, and recalling our mortality, brings one to the earth in abjection, in contrition for one’s sins, then it must be the very lens by which we are to hope for salvation, while having our faces firmly planted in the mud. The ground underneath our feet that will swallow us up one day.
Contrary to this, Pride seems to blind us, and we seem to forget that the end of our time here is coming, and it’s coming quickly. Question is, will we hear the word: “Depart”, or “Well done” at the end of it all?
Something tells me, that winning arguments and framing oneself as a ‘know-it-all’ is not going to help us then. But then again, what do I know? I am a rational heap of ashes, who wants nothing more than peace.
EAR
The human condition is a mystery. It seems that in varying degrees, across innumerable cultures, of any age, of any generation, there is a lingering gravitas within the rational will that inclines, or rather declines, towards the privation of good. It is most curious indeed, since it is evident, quite obvious even, that the entire potency of the entire collective human spectrum of faculties is, by definition, superior to all other natural things, and in of themselves good. Contingently, assuming this potentiality is in fact actualized by prudence, then it is through reason that the rational animal could bring all of reality into an ordered stewardship, by which other things come to reach their full potential too.
Yet, this is not the case, far from it. All one has to do is look around, and it is self-evident that something is very wrong, everywhere. What could be good, is privatively not. The tragedy of it all is that man seems to be completely helpless in uprooting this cumbersome gravitas that pulls him down to the Earth, towards base things. Likewise, any initiative to improve the situation by human reasoning alone, may start off right, but quickly becomes corrupted and goes off the rails in no time.
Despite this inclination to do what is not good, the act of the will is still completely free. Therefore, all things done that in privation of what is good, is thoroughly, and totally Man’s fault. Whether it is his fault for continuing this slippery slope, or the prior man who set the privation in motion, the fault is shared. Thus, it would seem reasonable to accept that Man is in need of a Savior from this condition of inevitable failure. Indeed, if Man is unable to will himself to the good of what could be, by his meagre power alone, then he is in need of a supernatural grace to get him there.
Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
EAR
Thanksgiving seems to be the acknowledgement that what is, could have not been, and yet it still is, and may remain to be, not because of one’s merits, but perhaps of the graces operating in his life. An act of thanks, like an act of worship or praise, must be univocal to an act of justice, it is warranted because it may not have been, yet is, even when we don’t deserve a single piece of it.
Why is this the case? I wouldn’t be surprised if it is simply for the sake of giving thanks for the good that is in energy now, actualized already, in potency surely, and contingently favorable, all things considered. How often do we really give thanks to God, not just daily, but every moment? I would imagine it’s probably not very often as we may think that it is operating in habit. I think this is because what is, what was, and what seems likely to remain, is all taken for granted.
“This was as it was when I took the reins, and I’m still not satisfied, and desire more than what I now have, so why must I abject myself to the idea that it could all be taken from me?” the irrational mind asks; but, that’s precisely the point: it can be all taken from you, in the blink of an eye. So, to give acknowledgment, gratitude, recognition, and humiliation to the One whom, out of pure maximal charity, providentially gives what is good to all, seems like the only reasonable thing to do for the one to whom it was given to. To whom all was given, all there ever was, was a simple just act of giving a “thank you” in return.
“Alleluja. Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus, quoniam in saeculum misericordia ejus.” (Psalmus 117:1)
EAR