By Z. Bechler
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104SaS-12) But obviously, this would not do, for desire and ability are not sufficient for acting. In the next step he, therefore, introduces the ultimate safeguard for insuring actualisation, namely, the absence of external obstruction. The crucial point now emerges, for Aristotle explicitly states that this absence of any obstruction is an inherent component of the concept of potentiality. J to act. And it is no longer needed to add the further specification "if nothing external prevents". For the agent has the potentiality in the manner in which this is a potentiality of acting, and the potentiality is such not in any way whatsoever but in some definite way which also takes care of the external hindrances, since these are barred by some of the specifications present.
Let it be divided, then, at C. Now if CB is not in motion, then AB will not be in motion: for if it is, it is clear that AC would be in motion while BC is at rest, and thus AB cannot be in motion essentially and primarily. But by hypothesis AB is in motion essentially and primarily. Therefore if CB is not in motion AB will be at rest. (ibid:5-12) Aristotle will not provide another argument for his thesis that everything in motion is moved by something. This is the only and ultimate argument. Nor will he ever even attempt to argue that the "something" is in fact "another", though nothing less than such an amendment will save his cosmological proof.
Consequently, the doctrine of unmoved movers suffers from various other incoherences. , be of "infinite power", but this is never stated in XII,8, nor any where else. Moreover, since by the improvement Aristotle introduced into the Eudoxos-Callipos astronomical system, the motion of the first heaven becomes definitely non-transmittable to the planetary spheres, the causal primacy of the first mover is thereby voided. The world must contain now a plurality of generically identical first movers. , only matter individuates, and with his insistence on the uniqueness of the divine first mover who, alone among the movers, is thought thinking itself.