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Justinian I · The Digest of Justinian §50.16.124.pr

Meaning of Disjunction and Two Types of Subdisjunction

Passage 8938 of 9271 · Latin

Summary

The jurist Proculus analyzes the logical nature of the disjunctive words 'either... or...', distinguishing between strict disjunction and two types of subdisjunction (where either both cannot be true but both can be false, or neither can be false but both can be true).

[PROCULUS libro secundo epistularum. ] §50.16.124.prHaec uerba 'ille aut ille' non solum disiunctiua, sed etiam subdisiunctiuae orationis sunt.
[PROCULUS from the second book of Epistles.] These words 'either this or that' are not only disjunctive, but also belong to subdisjunctive statement.
disiunctiuum est, ueluti cum dicimus 'aut dies aut nox est', quorum posito altero necesse est tolli alterum, item sublato altero poni alterum.
A disjunctive statement is, for example, when we say 'it is either day or night', in which once one of them is established, the other must be removed, and likewise once one is removed, the other must be established.
ita simili figuratione uerbum potest esse subdisiunctiuum.
Thus, by a similar configuration, the word can be subdisjunctive.
subdisiunctiui autem genera sunt duo: unum, cum ex propositis finibus ita non potest uterque esse, ut possit neuter esse, ueluti cum dicimus 'aut sedet aut ambulat': nam ut nemo potest utrumque simul facere, ita aliquis potest neutrum, ueluti is qui accumbit.
Now, there are two types of the subdisjunctive: one is when, of the proposed terms, both cannot be the case, but neither can be, as when we say 'he is either sitting or walking'; for just as no one can do both at the same time, so someone can do neither, such as one who is reclining.
alterius generis est, cum ex propositis finibus ita non potest neuter esse, ut possit utrumque esse, ueluti cum dicimus 'omne animal aut facit aut patitur': nullum est enim quod nec faciat nec patiatur: at potest simul et facere et pati.
The other type is when, of the proposed terms, neither cannot be the case, but both can be, as when we say 'every animal either acts or suffers'; for there is none that neither acts nor suffers, but it is possible to both act and suffer at the same time.

Notes

  1. 50.16.124.prnon solum disiunctiua, sed etiam subdisiunctiuae orationis sunt — 'disiunctiua' is a predicate adjective in the nominative neuter plural, agreeing in gender, number, and case with the subject 'haec uerba'. On the other hand, 'subdisiunctiuae orationis' is in the genitive singular (the feminine noun 'oratio' accompanied by the agreeing adjective), serving as a genitive of property or possession. This asymmetric structure yields the meaning 'these words are not only disjunctive, but also belong to (or have the character of) subdisjunctive statement.'
  2. 50.16.124.prposito altero... sublato altero — Both phrases are ablative absolute constructions consisting of the participle (perfect passive participle of 'ponere' and 'tollere') and the ablative of the pronominal adjective 'alter' (one of the two) without an accompanying noun. They express a temporal or conditional sense: 'when one is established' and 'when one is removed.'
  3. 50.16.124.prita non potest uterque esse, ut possit neuter esse — A construction where the correlative adverb 'ita' and conjunction 'ut' express restriction or result. Literally 'both cannot be the case in such a way that neither can be the case', explaining the asymmetry of possibility between the two extreme cases (both being true vs. neither being true). It defines the logical relationship (subcontrary or incomplete exclusive disjunction) where 'it is impossible for both to be true, but possible for neither to be true.'
  4. 50.16.124.prnullum est enim quod nec faciat nec patiatur — The verbs 'faciat' and 'patiatur' inside the relative clause introduced by 'quod' are in the subjunctive mood (present active/deponent, third person singular) because they form a relative clause of characteristic, defining the nature or class of the antecedent 'nullum' (sc. animal).

Cite this passage

Justinian I, The Digest of Justinian §50.16.124.pr. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:latinLit:phi2806.phi002.humanitext-lat1:50.16.124.pr

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