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第26章

prior analytics-第26章

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in negative。 For it makes no difference to the setting out of the



terms; whether one assumes that what belongs to none belongs to all or



that what belongs to some belongs to all。 The same applies to negative



statements。



  It is clear then that if the conclusion is false; the premisses of



the argument must be false; either all or some of them; but when the



conclusion is true; it is not necessary that the premisses should be



true; either one or all; yet it is possible; though no part of the



syllogism is true; that the conclusion may none the less be true;



but it is not necessitated。 The reason is that when two things are



so related to one another; that if the one is; the other necessarily



is; then if the latter is not; the former will not be either; but if



the latter is; it is not necessary that the former should be。 But it



is impossible that the same thing should be necessitated by the



being and by the not…being of the same thing。 I mean; for example;



that it is impossible that B should necessarily be great since A is



white and that B should necessarily be great since A is not white。 For



whenever since this; A; is white it is necessary that that; B;



should be great; and since B is great that C should not be white; then



it is necessary if is white that C should not be white。 And whenever



it is necessary; since one of two things is; that the other should be;



it is necessary; if the latter is not; that the former (viz。 A) should



not be。 If then B is not great A cannot be white。 But if; when A is



not white; it is necessary that B should be great; it necessarily



results that if B is not great; B itself is great。 (But this is



impossible。) For if B is not great; A will necessarily not be white。



If then when this is not white B must be great; it results that if B



is not great; it is great; just as if it were proved through three



terms。







                                 5







  Circular and reciprocal proof means proof by means of the



conclusion; i。e。 by converting one of the premisses simply and



inferring the premiss which was assumed in the original syllogism:



e。g。 suppose it has been necessary to prove that A belongs to all C;



and it has been proved through B; suppose that A should now be



proved to belong to B by assuming that A belongs to C; and C to B…so A



belongs to B: but in the first syllogism the converse was assumed;



viz。 that B belongs to C。 Or suppose it is necessary to prove that B



belongs to C; and A is assumed to belong to C; which was the



conclusion of the first syllogism; and B to belong to A but the



converse was assumed in the earlier syllogism; viz。 that A belongs



to B。 In no other way is reciprocal proof possible。 If another term is



taken as middle; the proof is not circular: for neither of the



propositions assumed is the same as before: if one of the accepted



terms is taken as middle; only one of the premisses of the first



syllogism can be assumed in the second: for if both of them are



taken the same conclusion as before will result: but it must be



different。 If the terms are not convertible; one of the premisses from



which the syllogism results must be undemonstrated: for it is not



possible to demonstrate through these terms that the third belongs



to the middle or the middle to the first。 If the terms are



convertible; it is possible to demonstrate everything reciprocally;



e。g。 if A and B and C are convertible with one another。 Suppose the





proposition AC has been demonstrated through B as middle term; and



again the proposition AB through the conclusion and the premiss BC



converted; and similarly the proposition BC through the conclusion and



the premiss AB converted。 But it is necessary to prove both the



premiss CB; and the premiss BA: for we have used these alone without



demonstrating them。 If then it is assumed that B belongs to all C; and



C to all A; we shall have a syllogism relating B to A。 Again if it



is assumed that C belongs to all A; and A to all B; C must belong to



all B。 In both these syllogisms the premiss CA has been assumed



without being demonstrated: the other premisses had ex hypothesi



been proved。 Consequently if we succeed in demonstrating this premiss;



all the premisses will have been proved reciprocally。 If then it is



assumed that C belongs to all B; and B to all A; both the premisses



assumed have been proved; and C must belong to A。 It is clear then



that only if the terms are convertible is circular and reciprocal



demonstration possible (if the terms are not convertible; the matter



stands as we said above)。 But it turns out in these also that we use



for the demonstration the very thing that is being proved: for C is



proved of B; and B of by assuming that C is said of and C is proved of



A through these premisses; so that we use the conclusion for the



demonstration。



  In negative syllogisms reciprocal proof is as follows。 Let B



belong to all C; and A to none of the Bs: we conclude that A belongs



to none of the Cs。 If again it is necessary to prove that A belongs to



none of the Bs (which was previously assumed) A must belong to no C;



and C to all B: thus the previous premiss is reversed。 If it is



necessary to prove that B belongs to C; the proposition AB must no



longer be converted as before: for the premiss 'B belongs to no A'



is identical with the premiss 'A belongs to no B'。 But we must



assume that B belongs to all of that to none of which longs。 Let A



belong to none of the Cs (which was the previous conclusion) and



assume that B belongs to all of that to none of which A belongs。 It is



necessary then that B should belong to all C。 Consequently each of the



three propositions has been made a conclusion; and this is circular



demonstration; to assume the conclusion and the converse of one of the



premisses; and deduce the remaining premiss。



  In particular syllogisms it is not possible to demonstrate the



universal premiss through the other propositions; but the particular



premiss can be demonstrated。 Clearly it is impossible to demonstrate



the universal premiss: for what is universal is proved through



propositions which are universal; but the conclusion is not universal;



and the proof must start from the conclusion and the other premiss。



Further a syllogism cannot be made at all if the other premiss is



converted: for the result is that both premisses are particular。 But



the particular premiss may be proved。 Suppose that A has been proved



of some C through B。 If then it is assumed that B belongs to all A and



the conclusion is retained; B will belong to some C: for we obtain the



first figure and A is middle。 But if the syllogism is negative; it



is not possible to prove the universal premiss; for the reason given



above。 But it is possible to prove the particular premiss; if the



proposition AB is converted as in the universal syllogism; i。e 'B



belongs to some of that to some of which A does not belong': otherwise



no syllogism results because the particular premiss is negative。







                                 6







  In the second figure it is not possible to prove an affirmative



proposition in this way; but a negative proposition may be proved。



An affirmative proposition is not proved because both premisses of the



new syllogism are not affirmative (for the conclusion is negative) but



an affirmative proposition is (as we saw) proved from premisses



which are both affirmative。 The negative is proved as follows。 Let A



belong to all B; and to no C: we conclude that B belongs to no C。 If



then it is assume

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