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Theophrastus · Fragments §57e.1

Predicate Determination and True Contradictions

Passage 52 of 196 · Greek

Summary

Theophrastus argues that in certain cases, unless a pre-determination is applied to the predicate, contradictory statements (such as Phanias having and not having knowledge) can be true simultaneously.

§57e.1Fr. 57e Φησὶν ὁ Θ. ὅτι ἐπί τινων, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ προδιορισμὸς ᾖ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατηγορουμένου, ἡ ἀντίφασις συναληθεύσει, οἷον, φησὶν, ἐὰν λέγωμεν, Φαινίας ἔχει ἐπιστήμην, Φαινίας οὐκ ἔχει ἐπιστήμην, δύναται ἀμφόετερα εἶναι ἀληθῆ.
Theophrastus says that in some cases, unless the pre-determination is also on the predicate, the contradiction will be true at the same time; for example, he says, if we say "Phanias has knowledge," "Phanias does not have knowledge," both can be true.

Notes

  1. 57e.1ὁ προδιορισμὸς — Meaning "pre-determination" or "quantifier/limitation." It refers to quantifiers like "every" (πᾶς) or "some" (τις) in Aristotelian logic, here indicating a qualification that specifies to what extent the predicate (ἐπιστήμην) is possessed.
  2. 57e.1συναληθεύσει — Third-person singular future indicative active of the verb συναληθεύω ("to be true together"). The subject is the nominative singular noun ἡ ἀντίφασις ("the contradiction", i.e., the pair of contradictory propositions), referring to a situation where both contradictory statements are simultaneously true.
  3. 57e.1ἀμφόετερα — Regarded as a scribal error for ἀμφότερα, the neuter plural nominative of the adjective ἀμφότερος ("both"). Here it functions as the subject of the infinitive εἶναι.

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §57e.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:57e.1

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