Against the Physicists, Books IX-X of Against the Learned Section 365

τοιαύτης δὲ οὔσης τῆς κατὰ γένος καὶ κατ’ εἶδος τῶν φυ- σικῶν διαστάσεως, ἐνέσται πρὸς πάντας κοινῶς ἀντερεῖν, ἐν μέρει περὶ τε τῶν σωμάτων καὶ τῶν ἀσωμάτων διαπορήσαντας· ρήσαντας· ὧδε γὰρ ἕκαστος τῶν κατ’ ἠριθμημένων σωματικὰς μὲν ἀπολείπων τὰς πάντων ἀρχὰς ταῖς κατὰ τοῦ σώματος κομιζομέναις ἀπορίαις ὑποπεσεῖται, ἀσωμάτους δὲ δογματίζων ταῖς κατὰ τῶν ἀσωμάτων.

Given such disagreement among natural philosophers, both generically and specifically, it will be possible to argue against them all in common by raising difficulties in turn about bodies and incorporeals. For in this way each of those enumerated, if he presents the principles of all things as corporeal, will fall under the difficulties brought against body; and if he dogmatizes that they are incorporeal, under those brought against incorporeals.

Puisque telle est la divergence générique et spécifique entre les physiciens, il sera possible de les contredire tous en commun après avoir soulevé séparément des difficultés concernant les corps et les incorporels. Ainsi, chacun de ceux qui viennent d’être énumérés, s’il pose que les principes de toutes choses sont corporels, tombera sous les apories dirigées contre le corps ; et s’il les déclare incorporels, sous celles qui visent les incorporels.