Роздуми
Book 10
Andbecauseofmyrelationshiptootherparts,Iwilldonothingselfish,butaiminsteadtojointhem,todirectmyeveryactiontowardwhatbenefitsusallandtoavoidwhatdoesn’t.IfIdoallthat,thenmylifeshouldgosmoothly.Asyoumightexpectacitizen’slifetogo—onewhoseactionsservehisfellowcitizens,andwhoembracesthecommunity’sdecree.
7.Thewholeiscompoundedbynatureofindividualparts,whosedestructionisinevitable("destruction"heremeaningtransformation).Iftheprocessisharmfultothepartsandunavoidable,thenit’shardtoseehowthewholecanrunsmoothly,withpartsofitpassingfromonestatetoanother,allofthembuiltonlytobedestroyedindifferentways.Doesnaturesetouttocauseitsowncomponentsharm,andmakethemvulnerabletoit—indeed,predestinedtoit?Orisitoblivioustowhatgoeson?Neitheroneseemsveryplausible.
Butsupposewethrowout"nature"andexplainthesethingsthroughinherentproperties.Itwouldstillbeabsurdtosaythattheindividualthingsintheworldareinherentlypronetochange,andatthesametimebeastonishedatitorcomplain—onthegroundsthatitwashappening"contrarytonature."Andleastofallwhenthingsreturntothestatefromwhichtheycame.
