197、我们可将此处所说的用于前一章所举的一切例子，如肌肉、神经，植物界和矿物界的物质和成分，作为人里面思维和情感主体或容器的有机物质，大气、热和光、爱和智慧。在所有这些例子中，最初元素在随后元素中是唯一掌控者，事实上是它们里面的独一元素；它因是它们里面的独一元素，故是它们里面的全部。这一事实也可从众所周知的真理清楚看出来，即：目的是原因的全部，并通过原因是结果的全部；因此，目的，原因和结果被称为最初目的、中间目的和最终目的。此外，原因的原因也是所引起的事物的原因；原因中唯一的基本要素就是目的；动作中唯一的基本要素就是动作的努力；作为物质本身的物质，是唯一的物质。
197. We can apply this principle to everything that was listed in the previous section--to muscles and nerves, for example, to the substances and components of both the plant and mineral kingdoms, to the organized substances that are the subjects of our own thoughts and feelings, to the atmospheres, to warmth and light, and to love and wisdom. In each instance the first is the only controlling reality in things subsequent and is in fact their only content; and since it is their only content, it is all there is to them.
We can see the truth of this from what we have already recognized, namely that the purpose is the whole of the means and through the means is the whole of the result. This is why we refer to a purpose, a means, and a result as a first end, an intermediate end, and a final end. It is why the cause of a cause is also the cause of what is caused. It is why there is nothing essential within the means except the purpose and nothing essential in motion except energy. It is also why there is only one substance that is substance in its own right.
197. We can apply what we have said here to all the examples that we listed above under the previous heading - as for example, to muscles, to nerves, to the materials and constituents of both the plant and mineral kingdoms, to the organic substances which are the vessels of thoughts and affections in a person, to the atmospheres, to heat and light, and to love and wisdom. In all of these instances the first element is the universally governing one in those that follow; indeed, it is the only governing one in them. And because it is the only governing one in them, it is everything in them.
The reality of this is apparent as well from the following considerations of which people are aware, namely, that the end is everything in the cause, and that through the cause it is everything in the effect; and therefore end, cause and effect are called the first end, intermediate end, and last end. People also know that the cause of a cause is also the cause of that which is caused; that the only essential element in causes is the end, and that the only essential element in motion is the endeavor to motion; and that there is only one substance which is substance in itself.
197. Application can be made to all those things which have been enumerated in the preceding section, as to muscles, nerves, the materials and parts of each kingdom, vegetable and mineral, to the organic substances which are the subjects of thoughts and affections in man, to atmospheres, to heat and light, and to love and wisdom. In all of these, the first is solely regnant in subsequent things, indeed is the only thing in them, and being the only thing in them, is the all in them. That this is the case is clear also from these facts which are well known, namely, that the end is the all of the cause, and that through the cause is the all of the effect, and thus end, cause and effect are called first, middle and last end. Further, it is known that the cause of the cause is also the cause of the thing caused, and that there is nothing essential in causes except the end, and nothing essential in motion except conatus, 1 also that the substance which is substance in itself is the sole substance.
Footnotes:
1. An urge, effort or striving.
197. This can be applied to all those things which have been enumerated in the preceding chapter, to the muscles, the nerves, the matters and parts of both the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, to the organic substances that are the subjects of thoughts and affections in man, to atmospheres, to heat and light, and to love and wisdom. In all these, the first is singly supreme in the subsequent things; yea, it is the sole thing in them, and because it is the sole thing in them, it is the all in them. That this is so is clear also from these well-known truths; that the end is the all of the cause, and through the cause is the all of the effect; and thus end, cause, and effect are called first, middle, and last end. Further, that the cause of the cause is also the cause of the thing caused; and that there is nothing essential in causes except the end, and nothing essential in movement excepting effort [conatus]; also, that the substance that is substance in itself is the sole substance.
197. Applicatio fieri potest ad omnia illa, quae in praecedente Articulo recensita sunt, ut ad Musculos, Nervos, Materias et Partes utriusque Regni, vegetabilis et mineralis, ad Substantias organicas quae sunt subjecta cogitationum et affectionum in homine, ad Athmosphaeras, ad Calorem et Lucem, et ad Amorem et Sapientiam: in omnibus est primum unice regnans in sequentibus, imo est unicum in illis; et quia est unicum in illis, est omne in illis. Quod ita sit, etiam patet ex his quae nota sunt, nempe quod finis sit omne causae, et quod per causam sit omne effectus; ac ideo finis, causa et effectus dicuntur finis primus, medius et ultimus; tum quod causa causae sit etiam causa causati; et quod nihil essentiale in causis sit quam finis, et nihil essentiale in motu quam conatus: tum quod substantia unica sit, quae in se substantia est.