The Literal Meaning of Genesis
CHAPTER
What the soul perceives by the tntellect 1s far superior to what it perceives by the senses.
It is by these messengers, therefore, that the soul perceives whatever comes to its notice in the world of bodies.3> But the soul itself is of a quite different nature, so that when it wishes to understand the divine or God, or simply to understand itself and consider its own virtues, it turns away from this light of the eyes in order to have true and certain knowledge, and recognizing that this light is no help for its purpose, in fact is even something of an obstacle, it raises itself up to the vision of the mind. How could it belong to that lower order of being, since the summit of that order is merely the light that shines from the eyes, which is no help to the soul except for the perception of bodily forms and colors? The soul itself has innumerable objects utterly unlike every kind of body, and it sees these objects only with intellect and reason, a realm beyond the reach of the senses of the body.
The soul governs the body by means of light and air.
21. Hence, the human soul is not made of earth or of water or of air or of fire; but it is through the more subtle elements, namely, light and air, that it governs its material and grosser body, that is, moist earth which has been made into flesh.3° For without the two subtle elements there is no sensation in the body or any spontaneous bodily movement under the direction of the soul. And just as knowing must come before making, so sensing must come before moving. Since the soul, therefore, is incorporeal, it first acts upon a body which is akin to the incorporeal, that is, fire, or rather light and air; then through these it acts upon the grosser elements of the body, such as moisture