more from Aristotle

Single Idea 12373

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / B. Logical Consequence / 1. Logical Consequence]

Full Idea

Something holds universally when it is proved of an arbitrary and primitive case.

Gist of Idea

Something holds universally when it is proved of an arbitrary and primitive case

Source

Aristotle (Posterior Analytics [c.327 BCE], 73b33)

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'Posterior Analytics (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Barnes,Jonathan [OUP 1993], p.8


A Reaction

A key idea in mathematical logic, but it always puzzles me. If you snatch a random person in London, and they are extremely tall, does that prove that people of London are extremely tall? How do we know the arbitrary is representative?

Related Idea

Idea 15594 'Instantial' accounts of variables say we grasp arbitrary instances from their use in quantification [Fine,K]