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Single Idea 575

[from 'Metaphysics' by Aristotle, in 3. Truth / A. Truth Problems / 6. Verisimilitude ]

Full Idea

The man who mistakes a tetrad for a pentad is not as erroneous as he who takes it for a chiliad. But then, if they are not equally erroneous, this can only mean that one has less, and so one more, of the truth.

Clarification

'Tetrad', 'petrad', and 'chiliad' are various combinations of numbers

Gist of Idea

If one error is worse than another, it must be because it is further from the truth

Source

Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1008b32)

Book Reference

Aristotle: 'Metaphysics', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,Hugh [Penguin 1998], p.97


Related Idea

Idea 22317 Truth does not admit of more and less [Frege]