Page 88 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

(c) In attempting to prove the existence of God or a First Cause by reference to actuality and
potentiality, Aristotle simply followed the traditional custom of the Ancients, who used the
principle of Opposites in order to explain the functions of nature.

(d) Plato used it, through the theory of Ideas, to explain the real and unreal in the phenomena of
nature.

(e) Socrates used it in order to establish the fact of immortality by showing that the death of one
form of life of existing things, is but the beginning of another form of life of these things. In
other words life is perpetual, it only changes its form in its course of progress.

Democritus applied the principle of opposites in their interpretation of a particular phase of
reality. We cannot therefore consider Aristotle's use of the terms, actuality and potentiality in the
problem of the existence of God as a new method of interpretation.

Furthermore, Aristotle's review of the doctrines of all previous philosophers including Plato,
together with his exposure of their errors, and inconsistencies, shows that he had become
confident not only of the fact that he was in possession of a new and correct knowledge one that
had not before been made available to the Greeks, but also that he could then speak with great
authority. Right here I must say that I am convinced that Aristotle represents a culture gap of
5000 years or more between his innovation and the Greek level of civilization; because it is
impossible to escape the conviction that he obtained his education and books from a nation
outside of Greece, the Egyptians who were far in advance of the culture of Greeks of his day.
(Memphite Theology in Kingship & The Gods by Frankfort c. 3. p. 25, 26, 35). (Herodotus I, 6–
26) (Egyptian Religion by Frankfort p. 64, 73, 88). (Plato's Phaedo c. 15, 16, 49) (Zeller's
History of Philosophy p. 61). (Aristotle's Eth., Nic. 10, 8; 1178b, 20) (Op. cit. 10: 8, 9; 1179).
(Zeller's History of Philosophy p. 221) (Roger's History of Philosophy p. 109). (William Turner's
History of Philosophy p. 141–143). (B. D. Alexander's History of Philosophy, p. 102, 103). (B
D. Alexander's History of Philosophy p. 92, 93; Roger's Student History of Philosophy p. 104).
(William Turner's History of Philosophy p. 126–127, 135). (Zeller's History of Philosophy p.
171–173) (Plutarch's Alexander) (Aristotle's Metaphysics) (William Turner's History of
Philosophy, p. 128 footnote also Noct. Mt. 20: 5).(Strabo).

3. The doctrine of the origin of the world.

According to the doctrine that has been ascribed to Aristotle: "because matter, motion and time
are eternal, therefore the world is also eternal", he plainly accepts and repeats a doctrine which
has also been ascribed to Democritus (400 B.C.), whose dictum we are all quite familiar with: ex
nihillo nihil fit (nothing comes out of nothing), and consequently matter or the world must
always have existed.

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook