Page 13 - GALIET FORMS AND UNFORMS: Aristotle´s Refutation to Plato IV

quantity and quality are, then, whether these exist independently of each other or not, what exists will be many” (185a1, 27-28). Therefore, Aristotle, would say that beauty is a secondary substance because it qualifies Galatea as beautiful. Furthermore, based on his Theory of Causes, he would add that it is Pygmalion, the efficient cause, who transforms a lump of ivory into the glorious Form of Galatea, the dream-ideal female who dwells in his ideal dreams. In this magic interval between ceasing and becoming 3⁄4 lump being formed and potentiality becoming actuality 3⁄4 Galatea changes between contraries, between what she was and what she has become and as she changes, Pygmalion is equally transformed. He who so falls in love with her; that he aches and cries as he yearns for her to become pure flesh so that he may feel her, be loved and caressed and be kissed by her until he, plunged into his deepest despair in his hour of hours, wakes up to find her, under Aphrodite’s spell 3⁄4 O Galatea of Galateas, form of forms 3⁄4 bone and flesh and as supple and sensual and real as the Forms are to Plato’s being. Pygmalion and Plato struck by cupid’s bow, la flecha y flecha de G-ala-tea
as struck as Aristotle is unstruck that matter and form are one, that one cannot exist without the other for even matter has its necessary form as Galatea’s being is ivory within form. Aristotle insists that we must examine the form as separate from matter 3⁄4 matter, as potential-to-become 3⁄4 becomes the form, by the form becoming; it then reflects the actuality of that
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