Potts(1905-1910) 6053
6053. On influx, and on the interaction of the soul with the body. Nothing whatever can be known or even thought about influx, and about the interaction of the soul with the body, unless it is known what the soul is, and also something of its nature. If nothing is definitely known about the soul, nothing can be said about its influx and interaction. For how can the communication of two parts be thought of in the total absence of knowledge about the nature of one of them? That complete ignorance prevails about the nature of the soul, especially in the learned world, is evident from the fact that some believe it to be an aerial thing, others something flaming or fiery, others a purely thinking entity, others a general vital force, and others a natural activity. And what is a still further proof of the prevailing ignorance about the nature of the soul is that various places in the body are assigned it, some placing it in the heart, some in the brain and its fibers, others in the corpora striata, others in the ventricles, and others in a small gland; some in every part, but in so doing they conceive of a vitality such as is common to every living thing. From all this it is evident that nothing is known about the soul, and this is the reason why all that has been asserted on the subject is conjectural. And as in this way men could have no idea about the soul, very many have not been able to avoid the belief that the soul is a mere vital thing that is dissipated when the body dies. And this is the reason why the learned have less belief in the life after death than the simple; and because they do not believe in it, neither can they believe in the things which belong to that life, which are the heavenly and spiritual things of faith and love. This also appears from the Lord's words in Matthew:
Thou hast hid these things from the wise and intelligent, and hast revealed them unto babes (Matt 11:25). And again:
Seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand (Matt. 13:13). For the simple have no such thoughts about the soul; but believe that they will have after death; in which simple faith, unknown to them, there is hidden the belief that they will live there as men, will see angels, will speak with them, and will enjoy happiness.
Elliott(1983-1999) 6053
6053. INFLUX AND THE INTERACTION OF THE SOUL WITH THE BODY
No one can have any knowledge at all or even be able to think about the influx of the soul into the body, or about the interaction of them, unless he knows what the soul is and also something about the nature of the soul. If nothing is known about what the soul is, nothing at all can be said about its inflow and interaction; for how can anyone think about two parts communicating with each other when there is complete lack of knowledge about the nature of one of them? The lack of knowledge, particularly in the learned world, about the whole nature of the soul may be seen from the fact that some people think it is something ethereal, others something flame-like or fiery, others something existing purely on the level of thought, others a general life-force, and others some natural force. Still greater lack of knowledge about what the soul may be is demonstrated by the varying places in the body to which people assign it. Some assign it to the heart, others to the brain - some to its fibres, others to the corpora striata, others to its ventricles, and others to its tiny glands. Others assign it to every part of the body, but these people's conception is of a vitality like that common to everything that has life in it. From this it is evident that people know nothing at all about the soul. This is the reason why the ideas they have peddled around regarding the soul are all guesswork. And since for this reason they cannot have any idea of what the soul is, very many cannot do other than suppose that it is no more than vitality that is dissipated when the body dies. This now explains why the learned have less belief than the simple in a life after death; and because they have no belief in it they cannot have any belief in anything belonging to that life, that is, in the celestial and spiritual realities constituting faith and love. This is also evident from the Lord's words in Matthew,
You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to young children. Matt 11:15.
And again,
Those who see do not see, and those who hear do not hear, nor do they understand. Matt 13:13.
For the simple do not think at all about the soul in the way that the learned do but believe that they will be alive after death. Concealed within their simple faith, though they are not conscious of it, is the belief that they will live there as people, seeing the angels, talking to them, and being filled with joy.
Latin(1748-1756) 6053
6053. De influxu et de commercio animae cum corpore prorsus nihil sciri, ne quidem cogitari potest nisi sciatur quid anima, et quoque aliquid de ejus quali; si anima {1}sit ignotum quid, nequaquam aliquid de ejus influxu et commercio dici potest; quomodo enim de communicatione duarum partium potest cogitari cum {2}una prorsus ignoratur {2}qualis sit. Quod anima ignoretur quoad omne suum quale, in mundo imprimis erudito, constare potest ex eo quod quidam credant illam esse aethereum quid, quidam flammeum aut igneum quid, quidam {3}pure cogitativum, quidam vitale ex communi, quidam activum naturale; et quod adhuc magis ignorantiam {4}, quid anima, testatur, est quod loca ei (t)varia in corpore assignent, nempe quidam in corde, quidam in cerebro et ibi in fibris, alii in corporibus striatis, alii in ventriculis {5}, et alii in exigua glandula, quidam {6} in omni parte, {7}at tunc concipiunt vitale, quale est commune omni vivo; ex quibus patet quod de anima {8}nihil notum habeatur; haec causa est quod conjecturalia sint quae de anima venditata fuerunt. Et quia sic nullam de illa ideam habere potuerunt, perplures non potuerunt aliter credere quam quod non sit aliud quam vitale {9}, quod cum moritur corpus, dissipatur; inde nunc est quod eruditi minus quam simplices credant vitam post mortem, et quia illam non credunt, nec credere possunt quae illius vitae sunt, quae sunt caelestia et spiritualia (t)fidei et amoris; hoc quoque patet a Domini verbis, apud Matthaeum, Abscondisti (x)haec sapientibus et intelligentibus, et revelasti infantibus, xi 25:et rursus, Videntes non vident, et audientes non audiunt, nec intelligunt, xiii 13; simplices enim nihil tale cogitant de anima sed credunt quod victuri post mortem, in qua simplici fide, illis nescientibus, latet quod victuri ibi sicut homines, visuri angelos, locuturi cum illis, et fruituri gaudio. @1 ignotissimum quid sit$ @2 unum . . . quale$ @3 purum$ @4 i inter eruditos$ @5 i ibi$ @6 i quod sit$ @7 et$ @8 i prorsus$ @9 i influens$