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Else the result will be that the same species as well will be in two non-
subaltern genera: for each of the differentiae imports its own genus, e.g.
‘walking’ and ‘biped’ import with them the genus ‘animal’. If, then, each of
the genera as well is true of that of which the differentia is true, it clearly
follows that the species must be in two non-subaltern genera. Or perhaps it is
not impossible for the same differentia to be used of two non-subaltern
genera, and we ought to add the words ‘except they both be subordinate
members of the same genus’. Thus ‘walking animal’ and ‘flying animal’ are
non-subaltern genera, and ‘biped’ is the differentia of both. The words ‘except
they both be subordinate members of the same genus’ ought therefore to be
added; for both these are subordinate to ‘animal’. From this possibility, that
the same differentia may be used of two non-subaltern genera, it is clear also
that there is no necessity for the differentia to carry with it the whole of the
genus to which it belongs, but only the one or the other of its limbs together
with the genera that are higher than this, as ‘biped’ carries with it either
‘flying’ or ‘walking animal’.
See, too, if he has rendered ‘existence in’ something as the differentia of a
thing’s essence: for the general view is that locality cannot differentiate
between one essence and another. Hence, too, people condemn those who
divide animals by means of the terms ‘walking’ and ‘aquatic’, on the ground
that ‘walking’ and ‘aquatic’ indicate mere locality. Or possibly in this case the
censure is undeserved; for ‘aquatic’ does not mean ‘in’ anything; nor does it
denote a locality, but a certain quality: for even if the thing be on the dry land,
still it is aquatic: and likewise a land-animal, even though it be in the water,
will still be a and not an aquatic-animal. But all the same, if ever the
differentia does denote existence in something, clearly he will have made a
bad mistake.
Again, see if he has rendered an affection as the differentia: for every
affection, if intensified, subverts the essence of the thing, while the differentia
is not of that kind: for the differentia is generally considered rather to preserve
that which it differentiates; and it is absolutely impossible for a thing to exist
without its own special differentia: for if there be no ‘walking’, there will be
no ‘man’. In fact, we may lay down absolutely that a thing cannot have as its
differentia anything in respect of which it is subject to alteration: for all things
of that kind, if intensified, destroy its essence. If, then, a man has rendered
any differentia of this kind, he has made a mistake: for we undergo absolutely
no alteration in respect of our differentiae.
Again, see if he has failed to render the differentia of a relative term
relatively to something else; for the differentiae of relative terms are
themselves relative, as in the case also of knowledge. This is classed as
302
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book The Complete Aristotle"
The Complete Aristotle
- Title
- The Complete Aristotle
- Author
- Aristotle
- Date
- ~322 B.C.
- Language
- English
- License
- PD
- Size
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Pages
- 2328
- Keywords
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Categories
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International
Table of contents
- Part 1; Logic (Organon) 3
- Categories 4
- On Interpretation 34
- Prior Analytics, Book I 56
- Prior Analytics, Book II 113
- Posterior Analytics, Book I 149
- Posterior Analytics, Book II 193
- Topics, Book I 218
- Topics, Book II 221
- Topics, Book III 237
- Topics, Book IV 248
- Topics, Book V 266
- Topics, Book VI 291
- Topics, Book VII 317
- Topics, Book VIII 326
- On Sophistical Refutations 348
- Part 2; Universal Physics 396
- Physics, Book I 397
- Physics, Book II 415
- Physics, Book III 432
- Physics, Book IV 449
- Physics, Book V 481
- Physics, Book VI 496
- Physics, Book VII 519
- Physics, Book VIII 533
- On the Heavens, Book I 570
- On the Heavens, Book II 599
- On the Heavens, Book III 624
- On the Heavens, Book IV 640
- On Generation and Corruption, Book I 651
- On Generation and Corruption, Book II 685
- Meteorology, Book I 707
- Meteorology, Book II 733
- Meteorology, Book III 760
- Meteorology, Book IV 773
- Part 3; Human Physics 795
- On the Soul, Book I 796
- On the Soul, Book II 815
- On the Soul, Book III 840
- On Sense and the Sensible 861
- On Memory and Reminiscence 889
- On Sleep and Sleeplessness 899
- On Dreams 909
- On Prophesying by Dreams 918
- On Longevity and the Shortness of Life 923
- On Youth, Old Age, Life and Death, and Respiration 929
- Part 4; Animal Physics 952
- The History of Animals, Book I 953
- The History of Animals, Book II translated 977
- The History of Animals, Book III 1000
- The History of Animals, Book IV 1029
- The History of Animals, Book V 1056
- The History of Animals, Book VI 1094
- The History of Animals, Book VII 1135
- The History of Animals, Book VIII 1150
- The History of Animals, Book IX 1186
- On the Parts of Animals, Book I 1234
- On the Parts of Animals, Book II 1249
- On the Parts of Animals, Book III 1281
- On the Parts of Animals, Book IV 1311
- On the Motion of Animals 1351
- On the Gait of Animals 1363
- On the Generation of Animals, Book I 1381
- On the Generation of Animals, Book II 1412
- On the Generation of Animals, Book III 1444
- On the Generation of Animals, Book IV 1469
- On the Generation of Animals, Book V 1496
- Part 5; Metaphysics 1516
- Part 6; Ethics and Politics 1748
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book I 1749
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book II 1766
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book III 1779
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IV 1799
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book V 1817
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VI 1836
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VII 1851
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book VIII 1872
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book IX 1890
- Nicomachean Ethics, Book X 1907
- Politics, Book I 1925
- Politics, Book II 1943
- Politics, Book III 1970
- Politics, Book IV 1997
- Politics, Book V 2023
- Politics, Book VI 2053
- Politics, Book VII 2065
- Politics, Book VIII 2091
- The Athenian Constitution 2102
- Part 7; Aesthetic Writings 2156