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Single Idea 1687

[catalogued under 9. Objects / A. Existence of Objects / 6. Nihilism about Objects]

Full Idea

Why will a man be a two-footed terrestrial animal and not an animal and terrestrial? Assumptions do not make it necessary that what is predicated form a unity - rather, it is as if the same man were musical and literate.

Clarification

'Predicated' means 'having characteristics assigned' to something

Gist of Idea

Why are being terrestrial and a biped combined in the definition of man, but being literate and musical aren't?

Source

Aristotle (Posterior Analytics [c.327 BCE], 92a30)

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'Posterior Analytics (2nd ed)', ed/tr. Barnes,Jonathan [OUP 1993], p.54