Aristotle · Topics §5.8#1

Examining Properties from the Comparison of Degrees

Passage 54 of 94 · Greek

Summary

This chunk presents the topics for verifying properties based on the comparison of degrees ("more" and "less"). First, it examines the correspondence of degrees, second, the comparison of degrees between different attributes, and third, the degree to which a single attribute is a property of different subjects.

§5.8#1Ἔπειτα ἐκ τοῦ μᾶλλον καὶ ἧττον, πρῶτον μὲν ἀνασκευάζοντα εἰ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον μή ἐστιν ἴδιον· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττον ἔσται ἴδιον, οὐδὲ τὸ ἥκιστα τοῦ ἥκιστα, οὐδὲ τὸ μάλιστα τοῦ μάλιστα, οὐδὲ τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ ἁπλῶς.

Next, from the more and less; first, for refuting, if the more is not the property of the more; for neither will the less be the property of the less, nor the least of the least, nor the most of the most, nor the simply of the simply.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔστι τὸ μᾶλλον κεχρῶσθαι τοῦ μᾶλλον σώματος ἴδιον, οὐδὲ τὸ ἧττον κεχρῶσθαι τοῦ ἧττον σώματος εἴη ἂν ἴδιον, οὐδὲ τὸ κεχρῶσθαι σώματος ὅλως.

For instance, since to be more colored is not the property of the more body, neither would to be less colored be the property of the less body, nor to be colored of body at all.

Κατασκευάζοντα δὲ εἰ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἴδιον· καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττον ἔσται ἴδιον, καὶ τὸ ἥκιστα τοῦ ἥκιστα, καὶ τὸ μάλιστα τοῦ μάλιστα, καὶ τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ ἁπλῶς.

And for establishing, if the more is the property of the more; for also the less will be the property of the less, and the least of the least, and the most of the most, and the simply of the simply.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ τοῦ μᾶλλον ζῶντος τὸ μᾶλλον αἰσθάνεσθαί ἐστιν ἴδιον, καὶ τοῦ ἧττον ζῶντος τὸ ἧττον αἰσθάνεσθαι εἴη ἂν ἴδιον, καὶ τοῦ μάλιστα δὲ τὸ μάλιστα, καὶ τοῦ ἥκιστα τὸ ἥκιστα, καὶ τοῦ ἁπλῶς τὸ ἁπλῶς.

For instance, since to perceive more is the property of the more living, to perceive less would also be the property of the less living, and the most of the most, and the least of the least, and the simply of the simply.

Καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἁπλῶς δὲ πρὸς ταὐτὰ σκεπτέον ἐστὶν ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ ἁπλῶς μή ἐστιν ἴδιον· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον, οὐδὲ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττον, οὐδὲ τὸ μάλιστα τοῦ μάλιστα, οὐδὲ τὸ ἥκιστα τοῦ ἥκιστα ἔσται ἴδιον.

And from the simply to the same things one must consider; for refuting, if the simply is not the property of the simply; for neither will the more be the property of the more, nor the less of the less, nor the most of the most, nor the least of the least.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ σπουδαῖον ἴδον, οὐδ᾿ ἂν τοῦ μᾶλλον ἀνθρώπου τὸ μᾶλλον σπουδαῖον ἴδιον εἴη.

For instance, since to be excellent is not the property of man, neither would to be more excellent be the property of the more man.

Κατασκευάζοντα δὲ εἰ τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ ἁπλῶς ἐστὶν ἴδιον· καὶ γὰρ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττον καὶ τὸ ἥκιστα τοῦ ἥκιστα καὶ τὸ μάλιστα τοῦ μάλιστα ἔσται ἴδιον.

And for establishing, if the simply is the property of the simply; for also the more will be the property of the more, and the less of the less, and the least of the least, and the most of the most.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ τοῦ πυρός ἐστιν ἴδιον τὸ ἄνω φέρεσθαι κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ τοῦ μᾶλλον πυρὸς εἴη ἂν ἴδιον τὸ μᾶλλον ἄνω φέρεσθαι κατὰ φύσιν.

For instance, since to be carried upwards by nature is the property of fire, to be carried more upwards by nature would be the property of the more fire.

Τὸν αὐτὸν δὲ τρόπον σκεπτέον ἐστὶ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων πρὸς ἅπαντα ταῦτα.

And in the same way one must consider from the others to all of these.

Δεύτερον δ᾿ ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον μή ἐστιν ἴδιον· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττον ἔσται ἴδιον.

Secondly, for refuting, if the more is not the property of the more; for neither will the less be the property of the less.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἴδιον ζῴου τὸ αἰσθάνεσθαι ἢ ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἐπίστασθαι, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ζῴου ἴδιον τὸ αἰσθάνεσθαι, οὐκ ἂν εἴη ἀνθρώπου ἴδιον τὸ ἐπίστασθαι.

For instance, since to perceive is more the property of animal than to know is of man, and to perceive is not the property of animal, to know would not be the property of man.

Κατασκευάζοντα δ᾿ εἰ τὸ ἧττον τοῦ ἧττόν ἐστιν ἴδιον· καὶ γὰρ τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον ἔσται ἴδιον.

And for establishing, if the less is the property of the less; for also the more will be the property of the more.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ ἧττόν ἐστιν ἴδιον ἀνθρώπου τὸ ἥμερον φύσει ἢ ζῴου τὸ ζῆν, ἔστι δ᾿ ἀνθρώπου ἴδιον τὸ ἥμερον φύσει, εἴη αν ζῴου ἴδιον τὸ ζῆν.

For instance, since to be by nature tame is less the property of man than to live is of animal, and to be by nature tame is the property of man, to live would be the property of animal.

Τρίτον δ᾿ ἀνασκευάζοντα μὲν εἰ οὗ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἴδιον, μή ἐστιν ἴδιον· οὐδὲ γὰρ οὗ ἧττόν ἐστιν ἴδιον, ἔσται τούτου ἴδιον.

Thirdly, for refuting, if it is not the property of that of which it is more the property; for neither will it be the property of that of which it is less the property.

Εἰ δ᾿ ἐκείνου ἐστὶν ἴδιον, οὐκ ἔσται τούτου ἴδιον.

And if it is the property of the former, it will not be the property of the latter.

Οἷον ἐπεὶ τὸ κεχρῶσθαι μᾶλλον τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἢ τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν ἴδιον, οὐκ ἔστι δὲ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἴδιον, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τοῦ σώματος ἴδιον τὸ κεχρῶσθαι.

For instance, since to be colored is more the property of surface than of body, and it is not the property of surface, to be colored would not be the property of body.

Εἰ δ᾿ ἐστὶ τῆς ἐπιφανείας ἴδιον, οὐκ ἂν εἴη τοῦ σώματος ἴδιον.

And if it is the property of surface, it would not be the property of body.

Κατασκευάζοντι δὲ ὁ τόπος οὗτος οὐκ ἔστι χρήσιμος· ἀδύνατον γάρ ἐστι ταὐτὸ πλειόνων ἴδιον εἶναι.

But for establishing, this topic is of no use; for it is impossible for the same thing to be the property of more than one thing.

Notes

5.8#1τὸ μᾶλλον τοῦ μᾶλλον — The articular comparative `τὸ μᾶλλον` expresses the attribute (property, predicate), while the genitive `τοῦ μᾶλλον` represents the subject which possesses the nature in a higher degree. It indicates the correspondence: "the higher attribute is the property of the subject which is more so."
5.8#1εἰ οὗ μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἴδιον, μή ἐστιν ἴδιον — The relative pronoun `οὗ` (genitive) functions as either the genitive of comparison or a possessive genitive within the relative clause. It means "if it is not the property of that of which [rather than of another] it is more the property."
5.8#1τὸ ἁπλῶς τοῦ ἁπλῶς — An expression indicating that an attribute belongs "simply" or "absolutely" (ἁπλῶς) without a difference in degree by comparison. It is used as a reference point (the standard non-comparative form) in the topic of comparison.

Cite this passage

Aristotle, Topics §5.8#1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0086.tlg044.humanitext-grc1:5.8%231

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