Humanitext Reader

Aristotle · Topics §5.4#1

Rules for Testing Whether an Attribute Is a Property

Passage 46 of 94 · Greek

Summary

The author presents topics to determine whether a stated attribute is indeed a property, discussing the rules of refutation and establishment based on the mutual applicability of names and definitions, the relation between subject and attributes, and non-participatory essential distinctions.

§5.4#1Πότερον μὲν οὗν καλῶς ἢ οὐ καλῶς ἀποδέδοται τὸ ἴδιον, διὰ τῶνδε σκεπτέον.
Whether, then, a property has been correctly or incorrectly assigned must be considered through these means.
Πότερον δ᾿ ἴδιόν ἐστιν ὅλως τὸ εἰρημένον ἢ οὐκ ἴδιον, ἐκ τῶνδε θεωρητέον.
But whether that which has been stated is a property at all or not, must be observed from the following.
Οἱ γὰρ ἁπλῶς κατασκευάζοντες τὸ ἴδιον ὅτι καλῶς κεῖται τόποι οἱ αὐτοὶ ἔσονται τοῖς ἴδιον ὅλως ποιοῦσιν· ἐν ἐκείνοις οὖν ῥηθήσονται.
For those topics which simply establish that the property is correctly laid down will be the same as those that make it a property at all; they will therefore be stated among them.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ἀνασκευάζοντα ἐπιβλέπειν ἐφ᾿ ἕκαστον οὗ τὸ ἴδιον ἀποδέδωκεν, [οἷον] εἰ μηδενὶ ὑπάρχει, ἢ εἰ μὴ κατὰ τοῦτο ἀληθεύεται, ἢ εἰ μή ἐστιν ἴδιον ἑκάστου αὐτῶν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνο οὗ τὸ ἴδιον ἀποδέδωκεν· οὐ γὰρ ἔσται ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον εἶναι ἴδιον.
First, then, for refuting, one must look at each individual instance of that of which he has assigned the property, and see whether it belongs to none, or is not true in this respect, or whether it is not a property of each of them in respect of that of which he has assigned the property; for then what is laid down to be a property will not be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ κατὰ τοῦ γεωμετρικοῦ οὐκ ἀληθεύεται τὸ ἀνεξαπάτητον εἶναι ὑπὸ λόγου (ἀπατᾶται γὰρ ὁ γεωμετρικὸς ἐν τῷ ψευδογραφεῖσθαι), οὐκ ἂν εἴη τοῦ ἐπιστήμονος ἴδιον τὸ μὴ ἀπατᾶσθαι ὑπὸ λόγου.
For instance, since it is not true of the geometrician that he is "not to be deceived by an argument" (for a geometrician is deceived when describing a false figure), "not to be deceived by an argument" would not be a property of the man of science.
Κατασκευάζοντα δ᾿ εἰ κατὰ παντὸς ἀληθεύεται καὶ κατὰ τοῦτ᾿ ἀληθεύεται· ἔσται γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον εἶναι ἴδιον.
And for establishing, if it is true of every instance, and true in this respect; for then what is laid down to be a property will be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ τὸ ζῷον ἐπιστήμης δεκτικὸν κατὰ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀληθεύεται καὶ ᾗ ἄνθρωπος, εἴη ἂν ἀνθρώπου ἴδιον τὸ ζῷον ἐπιστήμης δεκτικόν.
For instance, since "an animal receptive of knowledge" is true of every man and in so far as he is a man, "an animal receptive of knowledge" would be a property of man.
Ἔστι δ᾿ ὁ τόπος οὗτος ἀνασκευάζοντι μέν, εἰ μὴ καθ᾿ οὗ τοὔνομα, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἀληθεύεται, καὶ εἰ μὴ καθ᾿ οὗ ὁ λόγος, καὶ τοὔνομα ἀληθεύεται· κατασκευάζοντι δέ, εἰ καθ᾿ οὗ τοὔνομα, καὶ ὁ λόγος, καὶ εἰ καθ᾿ οὗ ὁ λόγος, καὶ τοὔνομα κατηγορεῖται.
This topic is, for refuting, if the definition is not true of that of which the name is true, and if the name is not true of that of which the definition is true; and for establishing, if the definition is predicated of that of which the name is predicated, and if the name is predicated of that of which the definition is predicated.
Ἔπειτ᾿ ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ μὴ καθ᾿ οὗ τοὔνομα, καὶ ὁ λόγος, καὶ εἰ μὴ καθ᾿ οὗ ὁ λόγος, καὶ τοὔνομα λέγεται· οὐ γὰρ ἔσται ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον ἴδιον εἶναι.
Next, for refuting, if the definition is not said of that of which the name is said, and if the name is not said of that of which the definition is said; for then what is laid down to be a property will not be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ζῷον ἐπιστήμης μετέχον ἀληθεύεται κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὁ δ᾿ ἄνθρωπος οὐ κατηγορεῖται, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἴδιον ζῷον ἐπιστήμης μετέχον.
For instance, since "an animal partaking of knowledge" is true of God, but "man" is not predicated of God, "an animal partaking of knowledge" would not be a property of man.
Κατασκευάζοντα δὲ εἰ καθ᾿ οὗ ὁ λόγος, καὶ τοὔνομα κατηγορεῖται, καὶ καθ᾿ οὗ τοὔνομα, καὶ ὁ λόγος κατηγορεῖται· ἔσται γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον μὴ εἶναι ἴδιον.
And for establishing, if the name is predicated of that of which the definition is predicated, and the definition is predicated of that of which the name is predicated; for then what is laid down as not being a property will be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ καθ᾿ οὗ τὸ ψυχὴν ἔχειν, τὸ ζῷον ἀληθεύεται, καὶ καθ᾿ οὗ τὸ ζῷον, τὸ ψυχὴν ἔχειν, εἴη ἂν τὸ ψυχὴν ἔχειν τοῦ ζῴου ἴδιον.
For instance, since "animal" is true of that of which "having a soul" is true, and "having a soul" is true of that of which "animal" is true, "having a soul" would be a property of "animal".
Ἔπειτ᾿ ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἴδιον ἀπέδωκε τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ λεγομένου· οὐ γὰρ ἔσται ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον ἴδιον.
Next, for refuting, if he has assigned the subject as a property of what is said in the subject; for then what is laid down as a property will not be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ ὁ ἀποδοὺς ἴδιον τοῦ λεπτομερεστάτου σώματος τὸ πῦρ τὸ ὑποκείμενον ἀποδέδωκε τοῦ κατηγορουμένου ἴδιον, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τὸ πῦρ σώματος τοῦ λεπτομερεστάτου ἴδιον.
For instance, since he who has assigned "fire" as the property of "the most subtle body" has assigned the subject as the property of the predicate, "fire" would not be a property of "the most subtle body".
Διὰ τοῦτο δ᾿ οὐκ ἔσται τὸ ὑποκείμενον τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ ἴδιον, ὅτι τὸ αὐτὸ πλειόνων ἔσται καὶ διαφόρων τῷ εἴδει ἴδιον.
And the subject will not be the property of what is in the subject for this reason, that the same thing will be the property of several things different in species.
Τῷ γὰρ αὐτῷ πλείω τινὰ διάφορα τῷ εἴδει ὑπάρχει κατὰ μόνου λεγόμενα, ὧν ἔσται πάντων ἴδιον τὸ ὑποκείμενον, ἐάν τις οὕτω τιθῆται τὸ ἴδιον.
For to the same thing there belong several things different in species which are said of it alone, of all of which the subject will be the property, if anyone lays down the property in this way.
Κατασκευάζοντα δ᾿ εἰ τὸ ἐν τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ ἀπέδωκεν ἴδιον τοῦ ὑποκειμένου. Ἔσται γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον μὴ εἶναι ἴδιον, ἐάνπερ κατὰ μόνων κατηγορῆται, ὧν εἴρηται τὸ ἴδιον.
And for establishing, if he has assigned what is in the subject as a property of the subject; for then what is laid down as not being a property will be a property, if indeed it is predicated of those things alone of which the property is said.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ ὁ εἴπας γῆς ἴδιον σῶμα τὸ βαρύτατον τῷ εἴδει τοῦ ὑποκειμένου ἀπέδωκε τὸ ἴδιον κατὰ μόνου λεγόμενον τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ ὡς τὸ ἴδιον κατηγορεῖται, εἴη ἂν τὸ τῆς γῆς ἴδιον ὀρθῶς κείμενον.
For instance, since he who has said that the property of earth is "the heaviest body in species" has assigned the property of the subject as something said of the thing alone, and it is predicated as a property, the property of earth would be correctly laid down.
Ἔπειτ᾿ ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ κατὰ μέθεξιν ἀπέδωκε τὸ ἴδιον· οὐ γὰρ ἔσται ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον εἶναι ἴδιον.
Next, for refuting, if he has assigned the property by participation; for then what is laid down to be a property will not be a property.
Τὸ γὰρ κατὰ μέθεξιν ὑπάρχον εἰς τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι συμβάλλεται· εἴη δ᾿ ἂν τὸ τοιοῦτο διαφορά τις κατά τινος ἑνὸς εἴδους λεγομένη.
For that which belongs by participation contributes to the essence; and such a thing would be a certain difference predicated of some one species.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ ὁ εἴπας ἀνθρώπου ἴδιον τὸ πεζὸν δίπουν κατὰ μέθεξιν ἀπέδωκε τὸ ἴδιον, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τἀνθρώπου ἴδιον τὸ πεζὸν δίπουν.
For instance, since he who has said that the property of man is "a two-footed pedestrian" has assigned the property by participation, "a two-footed pedestrian" would not be a property of man.
Κατασκευάζοντα δὲ εἰ μὴ κατὰ μέθεξιν ἀπέδωκε τὸ ἴδιον, μηδὲ τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι δηλοῦν, ἀντικατηγορουμένου τοῦ πράγματος· ἔσται γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον μὴ εἶναι ἴδιον.
And for establishing, if he has assigned the property not by participation nor as declaring the essence, while the thing is counter-predicated; for then what is laid down as not being a property will be a property.
Οἷον ἐπεὶ ὁ θεὶς ζῴου ἴδιον τὸ αἰσθάνεσθαι πεφυκὸς οὔτε κατὰ μέθεξιν ἀπέδωκεν ἴδιον οὔτε τὸ τί ἦν εἶναι δηλοῦν, ἀντικατηγορουμένου τοῦ πράγματος, εἴη ἂν ζῴου ἴδιον τὸ αἰσθάνεσθαι πεφυκός.
For instance, since he who has laid down as the property of animal "that which is by nature capable of sensation" has assigned the property neither by participation nor as declaring the essence, while the thing is counter-predicated, "that which is by nature capable of sensation" would be a property of animal.

Notes

  1. 5.4ἔσται γὰρ ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον μὴ εἶναι ἴδιον — Meaning 'what was laid down as not being a property will be a property.' Here, μὴ negates the infinitive εἶναι, and the whole phrase indicates the paradoxical success of establishment: 'that which is laid down (τὸ κείμενον) as not being a property (μὴ εἶναι ἴδιον) will actually be (ἔσται) a property (ἴδιον).' This corresponds to the formula for refutation, 'what is laid down to be a property will not be a property' (οὐκ ἔσται ἴδιον τὸ κείμενον εἶναι ἴδιον).
  2. 5.4καὶ κατὰ τοῦτ᾿ ἀληθεύεται — τοῦτο refers back to the individual instances (ἕκαστον) or signifies 'in respect of this itself / in this respect.' It indicates a double requirement for establishing a property: not only must it be true of every individual instance (κατὰ παντὸς ἀληθεύεται), but it must also be true in respect of the subject itself (κατὰ τοῦτο).
  3. 341a13τοῦ ἐν τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ λεγομένου — Meaning 'what is said in the subject.' It refers to attributes that exist in a subject (such as physical properties) in Aristotelian ontology. The author criticizes the error of assigning the subject itself (e.g., fire) as a property of an attribute that merely belongs to or is said in that subject (e.g., the most subtle body).
  4. 341a29τῷ εἴδει τοῦ ὑποκειμένου — Meaning 'in species of the subject.' The dative τῷ εἴδει functions as a dative of respect or manner ('in species / from the viewpoint of species'). It indicates that the proposer has assigned a property that directly pertains to the essential species of the subject (such as earth).

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Topics §5.4#1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg044.humanitext-grc1:5.4%231

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.