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Theophrastus · Fragments §67.1

Distinction Between Per Se and Qua Itself

Passage 66 of 196 · Greek

Summary

While Aristotle equated "per se" and "qua itself," Theophrastus and his followers distinguished them, arguing that "per se" is more universal, which is illustrated through the properties of triangles and isosceles triangles.

§67.1Fr. 67 Ὁ μὲν Ἀριστοτέλης. . τὸ αὐτό φησιν εἶναι τὸ καθʼ αὑτὸ καὶ τὸ ᾗ αὐτό· εἴ τι μὲν γὰρ ᾗ αὐτὸ, τοῦτο καὶ καθʼ αὑτό·
Aristotle... says that "per se" and "qua itself" are the same; for if something is qua itself, this is also per se.
οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Θεόφραστον διαφέρειν ταῦτα λέγουσι· καθολικώτερον γὰρ εἶναι τὸ καθʼ αὑτὸ τοῦ ᾗ αὐτό. Εἴ τι μὲν γὰρ ἧ αὐτὸ, τοῦτο καὶ καθʼ αὑτὸ, οὐκ εἴ τι δὲ καθʼ αὑτὸ, πάντως καὶ ἧ αὐτό.
But those around Theophrastus say that these differ; for "per se" is more universal than "qua itself." For if something is qua itself, this is also per se, but if something is per se, it is not always also qua itself.
Τῷ γὰρ τριγώνῳ ᾗ τρίγωνόν ἐστιν ὑπάρχει τὸ τὰς τρεῖς γωνίας δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθʼ αὑτό· τῷ δὲ ἰσοσκελεῖ καθʼ αὑτὸ μὲν ὑπάρχει, οὐκέτι δὲ ἡ αὐτό.
For to a triangle, insofar as it is a triangle, belongs the property of having three angles equal to two right angles, and indeed per se; but to an isosceles triangle it belongs per se, but no longer qua itself.
Οὐ γὰρ ᾗ ἰσοσκελὲς ὑπάρχει αὐτῷ τὸ τὰς τρεῖς γωνίας δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας ἔχειν.
For it is not insofar as it is isosceles that the property of having three angles equal to two right angles belongs to it.
Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐκ ἂν τῷ ἰσοπλεύρῳ ἢ σκαληνῷ ὑπῆρχεν, ἐπεὶ μὴ ἰσοσκελῆ, ἀλλʼ ᾗ ἁπλῶς τρίγωνά ἐστιν.
For if this were so, it would not belong to an equilateral or scalene triangle, since they are not isosceles, but rather insofar as they are simply triangles.
Ταῦτα μὲν οἱ περὶ Θεόφραστον.
Such are the views of those around Theophrastus.

Notes

  1. Fr. 67τὸ τὰς τρεῖς γωνίας δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας ἔχειν — An articular infinitive phrase functioning as the subject of the verb ὑπάρχει. The accusative τὰς τρεῖς γωνίας (the three angles) is the accusative subject of the infinitive ἔχειν, while δυσὶν ὀρθαῖς ἴσας (equal to two right angles, with ἴσας used predicatively) is its object.
  2. Fr. 67Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐκ ἂν τῷ ἰσοπλεύρῳ ἢ σκαληνῷ ὑπῆρχεν — A contrary-to-fact conditional sentence referring to present/continuous states. The verb in the protasis (the εἰ clause) is omitted, which should be supplied as "if this [belonged insofar as it is isosceles]". The apodosis consists of ἄν with the imperfect indicative (ὑπῆρχεν), expressing "it would not belong (as it in fact does)".

Cite this passage

Theophrastus, Fragments §67.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0093.tlg010x09.humanitext-grc1:67.1

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