Aristotle - The Organon - index for TOPICA Book 6 Part 11

Complex terms, equimembrals

Paragraph 1 Suppose now that a definition has been rendered of some complex term, take away the definition of one of the elements in the complex, and see if also the rest of the definition defines the rest of it:

Paragraph 2 Moreover, if the term defined be a compound notion, see if the definition rendered be equimembral with the term defined.

Paragraph 3 The mistake is even worse, if actually a less well known term be substituted, e.g. 'pellucid mortal' for 'white man':

Paragraph 4 Look and see also whether, in the exchange of words, the sense fails still to be the same.

Paragraph 5 Moreover, see if in replacing one of the terms by something else he has exchanged the genus and not the differentia, as in the example just given:

Paragraph 6 If he has rendered the definition of the differentia, see whether the definition rendered is common to it and something else as well:

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Paragraph 1	Suppose now that a definition has been rendered of some complex term, take away the definition of one of the elements in the complex, and see if also the rest of the definition defines the rest of it:
Paragraph 2	Moreover, if the term defined be a compound notion, see if the definition rendered be equimembral with the term defined.
Paragraph 3	The mistake is even worse, if actually a less well known term be substituted, e.g. 'pellucid mortal' for 'white man':
Paragraph 4	Look and see also whether, in the exchange of words, the sense fails still to be the same.
Paragraph 5	Moreover, see if in replacing one of the terms by something else he has exchanged the genus and not the differentia, as in the example just given:
Paragraph 6	If he has rendered the definition of the differentia, see whether the definition rendered is common to it and something else as well: