Single Idea 21258

[catalogued under 28. God / B. Proving God / 3. Proofs of Evidence / a. Cosmological Proof]

Full Idea

When the motion in reality is transmitted to thousands of things one after another, the entire sequence of their movements must surely spring from some initial principle, which can hardly be anything except the change effected by self-generated motion.

Gist of Idea

The only possible beginning for the endless motions of reality is something self-generated

Source

Plato (The Laws [c.349 BCE], 895a)

Book Reference

Plato: 'Complete Works', ed/tr. Cooper,John M. [Hackett 1997], p.1551


A Reaction

This gives a domino picture of reality, with all of reality responding inertly to a first kick. Much better is to see self-generated motion in the active qualities of all matter, as seen in the sea of virtual subatomic particles at the smallest level.

Related Ideas

Idea 21257 Self-generating motion is clearly superior to all other kinds of motion [Plato]

Idea 21260 Soul is what is defined by 'self-generating motion' [Plato]