Page:O. F. Owen's Organon of Aristotle Vol. 1 (1853).djvu/20

This page has been validated.
2
ARISTOTLE'S ORGANON
[CHAP. II

and "the picture of a man" are each termed "animal," since of these, the name alone is common, but the definition (of the substance according to the name) is different:[1] as if any one were to assign what was in either, to constitute it "animal," he would allege the peculiar definition of each. 2. What are synonyms. But those are called synonyms, of which both the name is common, and the definition (of the substance according to the name) is the same,[2] as both "a man" and "an ox" are "animal," for each of these is predicated of as "animal" by a common name, and the definition of the substance is the same, since if a man gave the reason of each as to what was in either, to constitute it "animal," he would assign the same reason. 3. Paronyms. Again, things are called paronyms which, though differing in case, have their appellation (according to name) from some thing, as "a grammarian" is called so from "grammar," and "a courageous man" from "courage."


Chap. II.Of the logical division of Things and their Attributes.[3]

1. Subjects of discourse complex and incomplex. Of things discoursed upon, some are enunciated after a complex, others after an incomplex, manner; the complex as "a man runs," "a man conquers," but the incomplex as "man," "ox,"
  1. Taylor translates λόγος sometimes "reason," at others "definition." It is better to preserve the latter as far as may be, though the student will do well to remember that it is capable of both significations. The brackets are retained from the Leipsic and other copies.
  2. Οὐσία, "a thing sufficient of itself to its own subsistence." Taylor. He translates it "essence," rather than "substance," because this latter word conveys no idea of self-subsistence. See his Introduction of Porphyry. It must be observed, however, that whilst by continued abstraction from the subject and different predicates of Propositions, the predicates arrive at the nine other categories, the subject will ultimately end in "substance." Cf. Phys. Ausc. lib. iii.
  3. This chapter, containing the several divisions of terms, into absolute and connotative, abstract and concrete, respectively, has presented endless difficulties to commentators; and the question of relation seems as far from being settled as ever. The whole subject may perhaps be properly condensed in the following manner. All ὄντα are divided by Aristotle into four classes, Universal and Singular Substances, and Universal and Singular Attributes; the former existing per se, the latter in the former. Universals are predicable of singulars, but attributes, in