Full Idea
It is not even possible for there to be a science of the accidental, ...for any field of science is either 'always' or 'for the most part'.
Gist of Idea
There cannot be a science of accidentals, but only of general truths
Source
Aristotle (Metaphysics [c.324 BCE], 1065b30-)
Book Reference
Aristotle: 'Metaphysics', ed/tr. Lawson-Tancred,Hugh [Penguin 1998], p.336
A Reaction
His example of an accident (and thus outside of any science) is a cold spell in high summer. This leaves us trying to explain the unusually tame tiger. Copi comments (p.717), rightly I think, that modern science disagrees with Aristotle on this.
Related Idea
Idea 12310 Real essences are scientifically knowable, but so are non-essential properties [Copi]