The designation “matter” or “hyle” is used by them in connection with this artificial form, which is an accident brought about by human action; the designation (1) is also used in connection with natural form, which is the bodies themselves. These bodies are substances (2), and their matter is that from which they were created.
The term “matter” may also refer to universal [matter] (3), namely, the magnitude and similar properties that bodies have in common. These are universals existing in minds, whereas in the external world they are determinate: either accidents or substances.
The term “matter” may also refer to eternal [matter] (4), namely, that which is stripped of form. Plato (5) affirms this, whereas all other rational thinkers deny it. In reality, it exists in the mind, not in the external world. Bodies have in common that each one (6) of them possesses a magnitude peculiar to it. Thus, they share in the kind of magnitude, not in one and the same individual magnitude. Consequently, bodies were regarded as sharing in magnitude, and they said:
“There is a common matter among them [and a common hyle] (7).”
They failed to grasp the difference between sharing in an absolute universal and sharing in a particular thing. Bodies sharing in corporeality, extension, magnitude—which is presumed to be matter—and similar things is like human beings sharing in humanity and animals (8) sharing in animality.