Aristotles Categories :: Philosophy Aristotle

Aristotles CategoriesThings ar said to be named equivocally when, though they harbour a common name, the definition correspondent with the name differs for each. olibanum, a real man and a figure in a picture can both lay claim to the name animal further these be equivocally so named, for, though they have a common name, the definition corresponding with the name differs for each. For should any angiotensin-converting enzyme define in what sense each is an animal, his definition in the one case will be appropriate to that case only. On the other hand, things are said to be named univocally which have both the name and the definition answering to the name in common. A man and an ox are both animal, and these are univocally so named, inasmuch as non only the name, further also the definition, is the same in both cases for if a man should state in what sense each is an animal, the statement in the one case would be identical with that in the other. Things are said to be named derivatively, which derive their name from some other name, but differ from it in termination. Thus the grammarian derives his name from the word grammar, and the courageous man from the word courage. 2 Forms of speech are either simple or composite. Examples of the latter are such expressions as the man runs, the man wins of the former man, ox, runs, wins. Of things themselves some are predicable of a subject, and are neer present in a subject. Thus man is predicable of the individual man, and is never present in a subject. By being present in a subject I do not mean present as parts are present in a whole, but being incapable of existence apart from the said subject. Some things, again, are present in a subject, but are never predicable of a subject. For instance, a certain point of grammatical knowledge is present in the mind, but is not predicable of any subject or again, a certain whiteness may be present in the body (for colour requires a material basis), yet it is never pr edicable of anything. Other things, again, are both predicable of a subject and present in a subject. Thus while knowledge is present in the human mind, it is predicable of grammar. There is, lastly, a strain of things which are neither present in a subject nor predicable of a subject, such as the individual man or the individual horse.