Plastische Natur (»plastic nature«): Bildende, gestaltende, innere Kraft. Eine »vis plastica« nimmt F. M. VAN HELMONT an (Princ. philos. 6, 7. 8, 4), ferner R. CUDWORTH: »There is a plastic nature under him [God], which, as an inferior ad subordinate instrument, doth drud gingly execute that part of his providence, which consists in the regular and orderly motion of matter« (True intell. syst. 1, 3, 37).
