(8:20) 4. This cause of existence must either be contained in the
nature and definition of the thing defined, or must be
postulated apart from such definition.
(8:21) It therefore follows that, if a given number of individual things
exist in nature, there must be some cause for the existence of exactly
that number, neither more nor less. (22) For example, if twenty men exist
in the universe (for simplicity's sake, I will suppose them existing
simultaneously, and to have had no predecessors), and we want to account
for the existence of these twenty men, it will not be enough to show the
cause of human existence in general; we must also show why there are
exactly twenty men, neither more nor less: for a cause must be assigned
for the existence of each individual. (8:23) Now this cause cannot be
contained in the actual nature of man, for the true definition of man does
not involve any consideration of the number twenty. (8:24) Consequently,
the cause for the existence of these twenty men, and, consequently, of each
of them, must necessarily be sought externally to each individual.
(8:25) Hence we may lay down the absolute rule, that everything which
may consist of several individuals must have an external cause. (26) And,
as it has been shown already that existence appertains to the nature of
substance, existence must necessarily be included in its definition; and
from its definition alone existence must be deducible.
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