Aristotle ON INTERPRETATION (Organon) Complete

Translated by E. Edghill.

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Part 13

Logical sequences follow in due course when we have arranged the propositions thus. From the proposition 'it may be' it follows that it is contingent, and the relation is reciprocal. It follows also that it is not impossible and not necessary.

From the proposition 'it may not be' or 'it is contingent that it should not be' it follows that it is not necessary that it should not be and that it is not impossible that it should not be. From the proposition 'it cannot be' or 'it is not contingent' it follows that it is necessary that it should not be and that it is impossible that it should be. From the proposition 'it cannot not be' or 'it is not contingent that it should not be' it follows that it is necessary that it should be and that it is impossible that it should not be.

Let us consider these statements by the help of a table:

           A.                       B.
   It may be.                   It cannot be.
   It is contingent.            It is not contingent.
   It is not impossible         It is impossible that it
     that it should be.           should be.
   It is not necessary          It is necessary that it
     that it should be.           should not be.

           C.                       D.
   It may not be.               It cannot not be.
   It is contingent that it     It is not contingent that
     should not be.               it should not be.
   It is not impossible         It is impossible thatit
     that it should not be.       should not be.
   It is not necessary that     It is necessary that it
     it should not be.            should be.

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