Works › Prior Analytics, Books I–II
Volume 1 · pp. 646–647
Chapter VII. That the art has now been had in common, but must be adapted concerning proper matters in individual sciences.
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CAPUT VII. Quod in communi jam ars est habita: circa propria autem in singulis scientiis adaptanda.
Haec autem quamvis ad artem istam in communi sufficiant, quae ars est de syllogismo formali inferente et non probante, est enim ex terminis per A B C sumptis, qui omnia et nihil significant: tamen in determinatis scientiis et artibus secundum singulum eorum quae sunt illarum scientiarum sive artium subjecta, propriae sive unicuique appropriatae sunt inspectiones mediorum plures, ut de bono de quo agitur in moralibus, aut de disciplina qualibet de qua agitur in disciplinabilibus scientiis, ut arithmetica, geometria, astrologia, et musica. Propter quod principia inventionis medii quae sunt circa singula, est sive contingit tradere per experimentum quod communiter a memoria sensibiliter in uno communi acceptorum per rationis collationem. Dico autem per exemplum exponens hoc, ut per astrologicam experientiam traditur astrologica disciplina quoad medii inventionem. In hac enim sufficienter sumptis apparentibus, hoc est, quae apparent esse antecedentia et consequentia et repugnantia, ex quibus sumuntur media ad terminanda astrologica: sic inventae sunt astrologicae demonstrationes. Similiter autem quantum ad medii inventionem circa aliam quamlibet se habet artem quae est ex probabilibus expertis, et disciplinam quae est ex necessariis expertis.
Propter quod si sumantur inspectiones mediorum circa ea quae insunt, et sumantur propria circa singulum eorum quae quaerimus, nostrum est jam, sive nostrae facultatis jam est (sicut ex arte perfectis) prompte demonstrationes circa singula declarare. Si enim nihil omittitur secundum historiam sive enarrationem propriorum et singulorum eorum quae subtiliter per causam essentialem et vere secundum naturam insunt singulis rebus et proprie, habebimus ex habitu et facultate determinatae scientiae de omni et de quolibet, cujus sive de quo est demonstratio, invenire hanc demonstrationem quae est de illo: et sic de ipso quod sibi inest demonstrare. Cujus autem non nata est demonstratio, sicut principiorum, et probabilium, vel rhetoricorum, manifestum etiam est ex hic determinatis hoc ipsum facere de ipsis ad inventionem mediorum, quae non sunt media demonstrationum.
CHAPTER VII. That the art has now been had in common, but must be adapted concerning proper matters in individual sciences.
But although these things suffice for this art in common, which art is about a formal syllogism that infers and does not prove, for it is from terms taken through A B C, which signify everything and nothing, nevertheless in determinate sciences and arts, according to each of the things which are subjects of those sciences or arts, there are more inspections of middles proper or appropriated to each, as concerning the good, which is treated in moral matters, or concerning any discipline which is treated in the teachable sciences, such as arithmetic, geometry, astrology, and music. On account of this, the principles for discovering the middle which concern singular matters can be handed down, or happen to be handed down, through experience, which is commonly from memory of things sensibly accepted in one common thing through the collation of reason. But I say this by expounding it through an example, as through astrological experience astrological discipline is handed down with respect to discovery of the middle. For in this, when appearances have been sufficiently taken, that is, those things which appear to be antecedents and consequents and repugnant things, from which middles are taken for terminating astrological matters, in this way astrological demonstrations have been found. And similarly, with respect to discovery of the middle, any other art has itself which is from probable things experienced, and discipline which is from necessary things experienced.
On account of this, if inspections of middles are taken concerning those things which inhere, and the proper things concerning each of the things that we seek are taken, it is now ours, or now belongs to our faculty, as from things perfected by art, promptly to declare demonstrations concerning singular things. For if nothing is omitted according to the history or narration of the proper and singular things which subtly through an essential cause and truly according to nature inhere in singular things and properly, from the habit and faculty of a determinate science we shall have the ability to find, concerning every and any thing of which or about which there is demonstration, this demonstration which is about it, and thus to demonstrate about that which inheres in it. But concerning that of which demonstration is not naturally apt to exist, as of principles and of probable or rhetorical matters, it is also manifest from the things determined here to do this same thing concerning them for discovery of middles which are not middles of demonstrations.
Dicamus igitur epilogando, quod universaliter jam pene dictum est, quo oportet modo propositiones eligere ad medii cujuslibet inventionem. Et dico pene propter scientiam Posteriorum, quae etiam universalis est in suo genere. Quare non superfluit ista arte posita: communia enim dicit in genere demonstrabilium. Haec autem quae dicta sunt studiose per divisiones et differentiam demonstrabilium et non demonstrabilium pertranseamus describendo in eo negotio, quod est circa dialecticam: in Topicis enim haec dicta sunt pertranseundo in communi: circa singulas autem scientias non pertranseundo in communi, sed immorando circa singula dici habent.
Therefore let us say by way of epilogue that universally it has now almost been said in what way propositions must be chosen for discovery of any middle. And I say almost because of the science of the Posterior Analytics, which also is universal in its genus. Therefore it is not superfluous once this art has been posited, for it states common things in the genus of demonstrable matters. But let us pass through studiously the things that have been said, by describing through divisions and the difference of demonstrable and non-demonstrable matters in that business which concerns dialectic. For in the Topics these things have been said by passing through in common; but concerning the individual sciences they must be said not by passing through in common, but by lingering over the individual things.
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