e. without immediate
contact, are perceptible by or through the simple elements, e.g. air
and water (and this is so arranged that (a) if more than one kind of
sensible object is perceivable through a single medium, the
possessor of a sense-organ homogeneous with that medium has the
power of perceiving both kinds of objects; for example, if the
sense-organ is made of air, and air is a medium both for sound and for
colour; and that (b) if more than one medium can transmit the same
kind of sensible objects, as e.g. water as well as air can transmit
colour, both being transparent, then the possessor of either alone
will be able to perceive the kind of objects transmissible through
both); and if of the simple elements two only, air and water, go to
form sense-organs (for the pupil is made of water, the organ of
hearing is made of air, and the organ of smell of one or other of
these two, while fire is found either in none or in all-warmth being
an essential condition of all sensibility-and earth either in none or,
if anywhere, specially mingled with the components of the organ of
touch; wherefore it would remain that there can be no sense-organ
formed of anything except water and air); and if these sense-organs
are actually found in certain animals;-then all the possible senses
are possessed by those animals that are not imperfect or mutilated
(for even the mole is observed to have eyes beneath its skin); so
that, if there is no fifth element and no property other than those
which belong to the four elements of our world, no sense can be
wanting to such animals.
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