If any one were to say that perhaps
all the attributes taken apart may belong to many subjects, but
together they belong only to this one, we must reply first that they
belong also to both the elements; e.g. 'two-footed animal' belongs
to animal and to the two-footed. (And in the case of eternal
entities this is even necessary, since the elements are prior to and
parts of the compound; nay more, they can also exist apart, if 'man'
can exist apart. For either neither or both can. If, then, neither
can, the genus will not exist apart from the various species; but if
it does, the differentia will also.) Secondly, we must reply that
'animal' and 'two-footed' are prior in being to 'two-footed animal';
and things which are prior to others are not destroyed when the others
are.
Again, if the Ideas consist of Ideas (as they must, since elements
are simpler than the compound), it will be further necessary that
the elements also of which the Idea consists, e.g. 'animal' and
'two-footed', should be predicated of many subjects. If not, how
will they come to be known? For there will then be an Idea which
cannot be predicated of more subjects than one. But this is not
thought possible-every Idea is thought to be capable of being shared.
As has been said, then, the impossibility of defining
individuals escapes notice in the case of eternal things, especially
those which are unique, like the sun or the moon. For people err not
only by adding attributes whose removal the sun would survive, e.
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