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Single Idea 17852

[from 'Metaphysics' by Aristotle, in 10. Modality / A. Necessity / 6. Logical Necessity ]

Full Idea

If anything has the property of being perishable it has it of necessity, on pain of one and the same thing being perishable and imperishable.

Gist of Idea

A thing has a feature necessarily if its denial brings a contradiction

Source

Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1059a05)

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'Metaphysics', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,Hugh [Penguin 1998], p.314


A Reaction

Of course the perishable could become imperishable over time, without contradiction. This illustrates the foundational idea that a proposition is necessary if its negation is a contradiction. [...actually this argument is invalid as it stands!]