Questions on Aristotle's Categories

Question Seven

98 [QUESTION SEVEN Whether a Genus is Univocal with Regard to Its Species] t is asked about the example that Aristotle1 gives to illustrate the account of univocals (“for example, man is an animal, and cow ”), whether the genus is univocal with regard to its species. 1. It seems that it is not: Since, according to Aristotle in Book VII of the Physics:2 “a comparison can be made according to a univocal ”; but, according to him in the same place,3 “a comparison is not made according to a genus”; therefore, etc.4 2. Second, if the genus were univocal, the unity of the genus would be as great as the unity of the species. The consequent is false, according to Aristotle (in Bk. V of the Metaphysics, in the chapter on “One”), who says that “one in species implies one in genus and not the other way around”; therefore, the antecedent is false.5 Proof of the implication: a species is not one in existing (rather, it is as manifold as its supposits, since it exists only in its supposits), but it is only one according to the definition and the one object of the intellect. But a genus has both of these unities, given that it is univocal. Therefore, etc. 1. Categories, Ch. 1 (1a 6–7). 2. Physics, Bk. VII, Ch. 4 (248b 6–9). The critical edition has the following footnote: Sola univoca et non aequivoca sunt comparabilia, that is, “only univocals and not equivocals are comparable [or commensurable].” 3. Physics, Bk. VII, Ch. 4 (249a 3–8). 4. The conclusion is: “the genus is not univocal with regard to the species.” 5. Metaphysics, Bk. V, Ch. 6 (1016b 32–1017a 6). QUESTION 7 99 3. Third, what is univocal with regard to many is not in itself (secundum se) diverse in them. But a genus is in itself diverse in diverse species, and not accidentally, so according to Aristotle in Bk. X of the Metaphysics6 (in the chapter “Diverse , however, in themselves”). Therefore, etc.7 The major8 is evident, since then the genus would be one and many in the species according to the same . 4. Fourth, a genus predicated of any species predicates the whole which is that species; therefore, just as no species is univocal with regard to diverse species, so neither is a genus . And this is confirmed according to Aristotle in Bk. VII of the Metaphysics:9 “a genus is nothing beyond its species, or if it is , it is so as matter”; therefore, it does not predicate from these. 5. To the opposite is Aristotle. 6. Second, otherwise the genus would not be posited in the definition of any species—just as an equivocal is not posited in the definition of equivocals—since in Bk. VI of the Topics and in Bk. VII of the Metaphysics Aristotle says: “the genus must be posited in every definition.”10 7. Third, in equivocals, there is no prior nor posterior, since only the utterance is common; but the genus is prior to the species ; therefore, etc. [I. The Response To The Question] 8. It must be said that the genus is a univocal predicate with regard to its species, since it is predicated of them according 6. Metaphysics, Bk. X, Ch. 8 (1057b 35–1058a 2). 7. The conclusion is: “a genus is not univocal.” 8. The major premise is the statement: “what is univocal with regard to many is not in itself diverse with regard to them,” while the minor is: “a genus is in itself diverse with regard to diverse species.” 9. Metaphysics, Bk. VII, Ch. 12 (1038a 5–7). 10. Topics, Bk. VI, Ch. 4 (141b 25–28), and Metaphysics, Bk. VII, Ch. 12 (1037b 30–31). 100 JOHN DUNS SCOTUS to the same name and according to the same account, which account or definition is the account of the substance for these species, although not proper , since the genus is predicated essentially (in quid) of them, according to Porphyry .11 9. —But since some unity in the thing corresponds to every univocal —otherwise, something would be univocal with regard to an accident and a substance—there is a doubt as to what that one in the thing is from which the univocation of the genus is taken. 10. And one can say that all belonging to one genus have some kind of agreement in substance among...