An objection to it is that 'not-being' always follows
what is 'coming to be' (for what is coming to be is not) and is not
convertible with it (for what is not is not always coming to be),
and that still 'not-being' is not the genus of 'coming to be': for
'not-being' has not any species at all. Questions, then, in regard
to Genus should be investigated in the ways described.
Book V
1
THE question whether the attribute stated is or is not a property,
should be examined by the following methods:
Any 'property' rendered is always either essential and permanent
or relative and temporary: e.g. it is an 'essential property' of man
to be 'by nature a civilized animal': a 'relative property' is one
like that of the soul in relation to the body, viz. that the one is
fitted to command, and the other to obey: a 'permanent property' is
one like the property which belongs to God, of being an 'immortal
living being': a 'temporary property' is one like the property which
belongs to any particular man of walking in the gymnasium.
[The rendering of a property 'relatively' gives rise either to two
problems or to four.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149