Predicaments and

Predicables

Reporters:

Astilla, Jeanie Racelle

Brigino, Ivory

Cao, Lyka Angela

Legaspi, Angelica Mae

Tiu, Vanessa Jiezl

3-BSCOA2

I. Introduction

Whenever we attempt to define things, we try to find out what is the feature that the thing has

in common with other objects so that we may readily disclose the nature of the thing from

such common feature. Then we proceed to look for the feature that distinguishes the thing

from other objects and manifests the specific nature that is proper to the thing.

II. Predicaments

Predicaments (Logical categories) – refer to the set of fundamental ideas in terms of which all

other ideas can be expressed.

There are 10 predicaments. First of which is that of Substance and the other nine are

classifications of the so-called metaphysical accidents, which are non-essential modifications

of the substance.

A. Substance – that which has its existence not in another but in and for itself. It has

its own meaning and value.

Examples: The chair is made up of wood.

The tree is tall as me.

B. Accident – refers to everything added to a substance as a further determination.

1. Quantity – modification of the material element of a being as to the effect

of having massive and measurable parts. Because the parts are massive

they are also incompenetrable, and hence we also have the effect of

dimension or extension. Measurability may be gauged according to mass

or dimension.

Examples: The boy weighs 40 kilograms.

The swimming pool is six feet deep.

2. Quality – a secondary formal feature of a being. By designating quality as

secondary formal feature, we denote that it doesn’t specify or constitute

the substantial nature, but is accessional to it.

Examples: Ana exemplifies beauty.

Don Ramon is a wealthy person.

She delivers wisdom in every word she says.

3. Relation – accessional reference of one being to another.

Examples: Angelo is her husband.

Sandy is Patrick’s cousin.

Lizel is my sister-in-law.

4. Action – motion originating from a being and commonly inducing some

change in another being.

Examples: Alma is dancing gracefully.

Dennis is walking slowly.

5. Passion – reception or result of an active influence from an agent. It should

not be taken in the narrow sense of damage or harm but in the wider sense

given.

Examples: JC was being killed.

The houses are burned.

Kat is being accepted in the job.

6. When – circumstantial determination as to time.

Examples: We decided to meet at 8 p.m.

We are going to have our family reunion today.

7. Where – circumstantial determination as to point in space, or on an area,

below a surface, or in a circumscribing body.

Examples: We are going to conduct our meeting in the office.

Our graduation will be held in Philippine Arena.

8. Posture – secondary modification as regards placement of parts.

Examples: She is lying in her bed.

She is sitting comfortably.

9. Habit – accessional determination as to external apparel.

Examples: Bill was clothed in black suit.

Shiela is in red gown.

III. Predicables

Predicables – refer to the kinds of relations which may be obtained between a term and the

subject of which it is predicated.

The predicables are the classifications of the different universal terms that may be

used to manifest the features of things in a systematic and logical way.

1. Genus – universal idea which expresses a part of the essence of a thing, that part which is

common with other species in the same class.

Genus is that part of the essence which is also predicable of other things different

from them in kind. The key to understand “genus” is that it is “general.” For example the

“genus” of a triangle would be that it is a “shape.”

An octagon is a polygon.

Guitar is a stringed musical instrument.

2. Specific difference – universal idea which expresses a part of the essence of a thing, that

part which differentiates it from that of other species.

Differentia is that which distinguishes one species from another within a genus. The

square species and triangle species are differentiated from one another within the shape genus

by the number of their sides. Triangles have three. Squares have four.

An octagon is 8 sided.

Guitar has six strings.

3. Species – expresses the complete essence of a thing. Constituted by adding the specific

difference to the genus.

Definition or Species: a statement of the things essence (to ti en einai or “that which

makes it what it is”). Aristotle called this “horos” or “definition.” Porphyry referred to this as

“eidos” or “form.” Boethius introduced into the Latin tradition as “species.” It denotes the

specific essence of a thing.

Guitar is a six stringed musical instrument.

An octagon is an 8-sided polygon.

4. Property – a universal idea that expresses an attribute that belongs to the thing by natural

necessity. It is not a part of the essence of the thing, yet it belongs to that thing and to it alone.

A “property” is an attribute which is common to all the members of a class, but is not

part of its essence or definition. The fact that the interior angles of all triangles are equal to

two right angles is not part of the definition, but is universally true.

Man is capable of learning grammar, of thinking, of morality.

Water freezes at 0 degrees C; boils at 100 degrees C.

5. Logical Accident – a universal idea that is not part of the essence of a thing but something

that belongs to the thing, not by natural necessity, but by contingency.

An accident is an attribute which may or may not belong to a subject. With a “green

triangle” the color green is “accidental” – it is not something essential to “triangle-ness.”

Andrew is tall, intelligent and kinky-haired.

The guitar is electric.

Predicability is the logical attribute of a universal term that may be said of many subjects, or

the aptitude of a universal term to be logically applied to many subjects. There are two kinds.

a. Homologous or univocal; when the universal term is applicable to many subjects in a

exactly the same sense. This is the case with the different predicables.

b. Analogous; when the universal term is applicable to many subjects either in a cognate

sense (analogy of attribution), or in a similar sense only (analogy of proportionality).