§1.2.14#1Διαφέρει δʼ ἡ εἰς τὸ ἀδύνατον ἀπόδειξις τῆς δεικτικῆς τῷ τιθέναι ὃ βούλεται ἀναιρεῖν ἀπάγουσα εἰς ὁμολογούμενον ψεῦδος· ἡ δὲ δεικτικὴ ἄρχεται ἐξ ὁμολογουμένων θέσεων.
Proof through impossibility differs from ostensive proof in that it assumes what it wishes to refute, leading to an agreed-upon falsehood, whereas ostensive proof starts from agreed-upon positions.
λαμβάνουσι μὲν οὖν ἀμφότεραι δύο προτάσεις ὁμολογουμένας· ἀλλʼ ἡ μὲν ἐξ ὥν ὁ συωλλογισμός, ἡ δὲ μίαν μὲν τούτων, μίαν δὲ τὴν ἀντίφασιν τοῦ συμτπεράσματος.
Thus, both take two agreed-upon premises, but the former takes those from which the syllogism is constructed, while the latter takes one of these and one which is the contradictory of the conclusion.
καὶ ἔνθα μὲν οὐκ ἀνάγκη γνώριμον εἶναι τὸ συμπέρασμα, οὐδὲ προϋπολαμβάνειν ὡς ἔστιν ἢ οὔ· ἔνθα δὲ ἀνάγκη ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν.
And in the former case, it is not necessary that the conclusion be known beforehand, nor to pre-suppose that it is or is not; but in the latter, it is necessary to pre-suppose that it is not.
διαφέρει δʼ οὐδὲν φάσιν ἢ ἀπόφασιν εἶναι τὸ συμπέρασμα, ἀλλʼ ὁμοίως ἔχει περὶ ἀμφοῖν.
But it makes no difference whether the conclusion is an affirmation or a negation, but it is the same for both.
Ἅπαν δὲ τὸ δεικτικῶς περαινόμενον καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἀδυνάτου δειχθήσεται, καὶ τὸ διὰ τοῦ ἀδυνάτου δεικτικῶς διὰ τῶν αὐτῶν ὅρων.
And everything that is concluded ostensively will also be demonstrated through impossibility, and what is demonstrated through impossibility will be demonstrated ostensively through the same terms.
ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ὁ συλλογισμὸς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ σχήματι γέντηται, τὸ ἀληθὲς ἔσται ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ἢ τῷ ἐσχάτῳ, τὸ μὲν στερητικόν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ, τὸ δὲ κατηγορικὸν ἐν τῷ ἐσχάτῳ.
For when the syllogism is in the first figure, the true [conclusion] will be in the middle or the last figure: the negative in the middle, and the affirmative in the last.
ὅταν δʼ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ ὁ συλλογισμός, τὸ ἀληθὲς ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν προβλημάτων.
But when the syllogism is in the middle figure, the true [conclusion] is in the first figure for all problems.
ὅταν δʼ ἐν τῷ ἐσχάτῳ ὁ συλλογισμός, τὸ ἀληθές ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ καὶ τῷ μέσῳ, τὰ μὲν καταφατικά ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ, τὰ δὲ στερητικὰ ἐν τῷ μέσῳ.
And when the syllogism is in the last figure, the true [conclusion] is in the first and in the middle: the affirmatives in the first, and the negatives in the middle.
ἔστω γάρ δεδειγμένον τὸ Α μηδενὶ ἢ μὴ παντὶ τῷ Β διὰ τοῦ πρώτου σχήματος.
For let it be demonstrated that A belongs to no B, or not to all B, through the first figure.
οὐκοῦν ἡ μέν ὑπόθεσις ἦν τινὶ τῷ Β ὑπάρχειν τὸ Α, τὸ δὲ Γ ἐλαμβάνετο τῷ μὲν Α παντὶ ὑπάρχειν, τῷ δὲ Β οὐδενί· οὕτω γὰρ ἐγίνετο ὁ συλλογισμὸς καὶ τὸ ἀδύνατον.
Therefore, the assumption was that A belongs to some B, and Γ was taken to belong to all A, but to no B; for in this way the syllogism and the impossibility were produced.
τοῦτο δὲ τὸ μέσον σχῆμα, εἰ τὸ τῷ μὲν Α παντὶ τῷ δὲ Β μηδενὶ ὑπάρχει.
And this is the middle figure, if [Γ] belongs to all A and to no B.
καὶ φανερὸν ἐκ τούτων ὅτι οὐδενὶ τῷ Β ὑπάρχει τὸ Α. ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ εἰ μὴ παντὶ δέδεικται ὑπάρχον.
And it is clear from these that A belongs to no B. And similarly also if it has been demonstrated not to belong to all.
ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπόθεσίς ἐστι παντὶ ὑπάρχειν, τὸ δὲ Γ ἐλαμβάνετο τῷ μὲν παντί, τῷ δὲ Β οὐ παντί.
For the assumption is that it belongs to all, and Γ was taken to belong to all [A], but not to all B.
καὶ εἰ στερητικὸν λαμβάνοιτο τὸ Γ Α, ὡσαύτως· καὶ γὰρ οὕτω γίνεται τὸ μέσον σχῆμα.
And if the negative Γ-A is taken, likewise; for in this way too the middle figure is produced.
πάλιν δεδείχθω τινὶ ὑπάρχον· τῷ Β τὸ Α. ἡ μὲν οὖν ὑπόθεσις μηδενὶ ὑπάρχειν, τὸ δὲ Β ἐλαμβάνετο παντὶ τῷ Γ ὑπάρχειν καὶ τὸ Α ἢ παντὶ ἢ τινὶ τῷ Γ· οὕτω γὰρ ἔσται τὸ ἀδύνατον.
Again, let it be demonstrated that A belongs to some B; therefore, the assumption was that it belongs to none, and B was taken to belong to all Γ, and A either to all or to some Γ; for in this way there will be the impossibility.
τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ἔσχατον σχῆμα, εἰ τὸ καὶ τὸ Β παντὶ τῷ Γ. καὶ φανερὸν ἐκ τούτων ὅτι ἀνάγκη τὸ τινὶ τῷ Β ὑπάρχειν.
And this is the last figure, if both [A] and B belong to all Γ. And it is clear from these that it is necessary for [A] to belong to some B.
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ εἰ τινὶ τῳ Γ ληφθείη ὑπάρχον τὸ Β ἢ τὸ Α.
And similarly also if B or A is taken to belong to some Γ.