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Aristotle's Book Of Problems, a non-fiction book by Aristotle |
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Of Hermaphrodites |
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_ Q. How are hermaphrodites begotten? A. Nature doth always tend to that which is best, and always intendeth to beget the male and not the female, because the female is only for the male's mate. Therefore the male is sometimes begotten in all its principal parts; and, yet, through the indisposition of the womb and object, and inequality of the seeds, when nature cannot perfect the male, she brings forth the female too. And therefore natural philosophers say, that an hermaphrodite is impotent in the privy parts of a man, as appears by experience. Q. Is an hermaphrodite accounted a man or a woman? A. It is to be considered in which member he is fittest for copulation; if he be fittest in the woman's, then he is a woman; if in a man's, then he is a man. Q. Should he be baptized in the name of a man or a woman? A. In the name of a man, because names are given _ad placitum_, and therefore he should be baptized, according to the worthiest name, because every agent is worthier than its patient. _ |
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