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by Julian Winston
One of my favorite aphorisms in the Organon is number nine.
I recently obtained a copy of the first English translation done by Devrient in Dublin in 1833. It is of the 4th edition. While there IS a Paragraph 9, it is not the one we know. The one we know was added to the 5th edition. The first English translation of no. 9 therefore, was done by Hering when the Allentown Academy Bookstore issued the Organon in 1836. It was taken from the 4th by Devrient with additions from the 5th added by Hering.
So... in 1836, (the first English of the 5th) Hering translated it as:
In the healthy condition of man, the immaterial vital principle which animates the material body, exercises an absolute sway and maintains all parts in the most admirable order and harmony, both of sensation and action, so that our indwelling rational spirit may freely employ these living, health organs for the superior purposes of our existence.
In 1849, Dudgeon had it as:
In the healthy condition of man, the spiritual vital force (autocracy) the dynamis that animates the material body (organism), rules with unbounded sway and retains all parts of the organism in admirable and harmonious, vital operation as regards both sensations and functions, so that our indwelling reason-gifted mind can freely employ this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.
In 1876 Wesselhoeft had it as:
During the healthy condition of man this spirit-like force (autocracy) animating the material body (organism) rules supreme as *dynamis*. By it all parts are maintained wonderfully in harmonious vital process, both in feelings and functions, in order that our intelligent mind may be free to make the living, healthy, bodily medium subservient to our higher purposes of being.
Reprinted with the kind permission of Julian Winston
www.julianwinston.com
Finally, in 1996, Decker/ O'Reilly had it as:
In the healthy human state the spirit-like life force (autocracy) that enlivens the material organism as dynamis, governs without restriction and keeps all parts of the body in admirable, harmonious, vital operation as regards both feelings and functions, so that our indwelling rational spirit can freely avail itself of this living, healthy instrument for the higher purposes of our existence.
All very interesting. Small differences although they all say the same thing... But are they small? "immaterial vital principle," "spiritual vital force," "spirit-like life force" all can been seen to mean slightly different things...In 1880, Fincke has it as:
In the healthy state of man the spirit-like life force (autocracy) which as dynamis vivifies the material body (organic) rules absolutely and holds all its parts in admirably harmonic course of life in sensations and activities, that our in-dwelliong rational spirit can freely use this living sound instrument for the higher end of our being.
In 1980, Kunzli has it as:
In the state of health the spirit-like vital force (dynamis) animating the human organism reigns in supreme sovereignty. It maintains the sensations and activities of all the parts of the living organism in a harmony that obligers wonderment. The reasoning spirit who inhabits the organism can thus freely use this healthy living instrument to reach the lofty goals of human existence.
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