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Aristotle

"Posterior Analytics"

e.
the simple infirma species, and the attributes inhere essentially in
the simple infimae species, in the genera only in virtue of these.
Divisions according to differentiae are a useful accessory to this
method. What force they have as proofs we did, indeed, explain
above, but that merely towards collecting the essential nature they
may be of use we will proceed to show. They might, indeed, seem to
be of no use at all, but rather to assume everything at the start
and to be no better than an initial assumption made without
division. But, in fact, the order in which the attributes are
predicated does make a difference--it matters whether we say
animal-tame-biped, or biped-animal-tame. For if every definable
thing consists of two elements and 'animal-tame' forms a unity, and
again out of this and the further differentia man (or whatever else is
the unity under construction) is constituted, then the elements we
assume have necessarily been reached by division. Again, division is
the only possible method of avoiding the omission of any element of
the essential nature. Thus, if the primary genus is assumed and we
then take one of the lower divisions, the dividendum will not fall
whole into this division: e.


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