The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)Hobbes, Thomas
Philosophy
The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, Volume 01 (of 11)
Hobbes, Thomas
Philosophy, English -- 17th century
1. What it is for one thing to differ from another.—2. To differ in
number, magnitude, species, and genus, what.—3. What is relation,
proportion, and relatives.—4. Proportionals, what.—5. The proportion
of magnitudes to one another, wherein it consists.—6. Relation is no
new accident, but one of those that were in the relative before the
relation or comparison was made. Also the causes of accidents in the
correlatives, are the cause of relation.—7. Of the beginning of
individuation.
[Sidenote: What it is for one thing to differ from another.]
1. Hitherto I have spoken of body simply, and accidents common to all
bodies, as _magnitude_, _motion_, _rest_, _action_, _passion_, _power_,
_possible_, _&c._; and I should now descend to those accidents by which
one body is distinguished from another, but that it is first to be
declared what it is to be _distinct_ and _not distinct_, namely, what
are the SAME and DIFFERENT; for this also is common to all bodies, that
they may be distinguished and differenced from one another. Now, two
bodies are said to _differ_ from one another, when something may be said
of one of them, which cannot be said of the other at the same time.
[Sidenote: To differ in number, magnitude, species, and genus, what.]
2. And, first of all, it is manifest that no two bodies are the _same_;
for seeing they are two, they are in two places at the same time; as
that, which is the _same_, is at the same time in one and the same
place. All bodies therefore differ from one another in _number_, namely,
as one and another; so that the _same_ and _different in number_, are
names opposed to one another by contradiction.
In _magnitude_ bodies differ when one is greater than another, as _a
cubit long_, and _two cubits long_, of _two pound weight_, and of _three
pound weight_. And to these, _equals_ are opposed.
Bodies, which differ more than in magnitude, are called _unlike_; and
those, which differ only in magnitude, _like_. Also, of unlike bodies,
some are said to differ in the _species_, others in the _genus_; in the
_species_, when their difference is perceived by one and the same sense,
as _white_ and _black_; and in the _genus_, when their difference is not
perceived but by divers senses, as _white_ and _hot_.
[Sidenote: What is relation, proportion, and relatives.]
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