g. in
the chorus the second man is prior to the third, and in the lyre the
second lowest string is prior to the lowest; for in the one case the
leader and in the other the middle string is the beginning.
These, then, are called prior in this sense, but (2) in another
sense that which is prior for knowledge is treated as also
absolutely prior; of these, the things that are prior in definition do
not coincide with those that are prior in relation to perception.
For in definition universals are prior, in relation to perception
individuals. And in definition also the accident is prior to the
whole, e.g. 'musical' to 'musical man', for the definition cannot
exist as a whole without the part; yet musicalness cannot exist unless
there is some one who is musical.
(3) The attributes of prior things are called prior, e.g.
straightness is prior to smoothness; for one is an attribute of a line
as such, and the other of a surface.
Some things then are called prior and posterior in this sense,
others (4) in respect of nature and substance, i.e. those which can be
without other things, while the others cannot be without them,-a
distinction which Plato used. (If we consider the various senses of
'being', firstly the subject is prior, so that substance is prior;
secondly, according as potency or complete reality is taken into
account, different things are prior, for some things are prior in
respect of potency, others in respect of complete reality, e.g. in
potency the half line is prior to the whole line, and the part to
the whole, and the matter to the concrete substance, but in complete
reality these are posterior; for it is only when the whole has been
dissolved that they will exist in complete reality.
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