登陆注册
26303000000066

第66章

One commonplace rule, then, in regard to obscurity is, See if the meaning intended by the definition involves an ambiguity with any other, e.g. 'Becoming is a passage into being', or 'Health is the balance of hot and cold elements'. Here 'passage' and 'balance' are ambiguous terms: it is accordingly not clear which of the several possible senses of the term he intends to convey. Likewise also, if the term defined be used in different senses and he has spoken without distinguishing between them: for then it is not clear to which of them the definition rendered applies, and one can then bring a captious objection on the ground that the definition does not apply to all the things whose definition he has rendered: and this kind of thing is particularly easy in the case where the definer does not see the ambiguity of his terms. Or, again, the questioner may himself distinguish the various senses of the term rendered in the definition, and then institute his argument against each: for if the expression used be not adequate to the subject in any of its senses, it is clear that he cannot have defined it in any sense aright.

Another rule is, See if he has used a metaphorical expression, as, for instance, if he has defined knowledge as 'unsupplantable', or the earth as a 'nurse', or temperance as a 'harmony'. For a metaphorical expression is always obscure. It is possible, also, to argue sophistically against the user of a metaphorical expression as though he had used it in its literal sense: for the definition stated will not apply to the term defined, e.g. in the case of temperance: for harmony is always found between notes. Moreover, if harmony be the genus of temperance, then the same object will occur in two genera of which neither contains the other: for harmony does not contain virtue, nor virtue harmony. Again, see if he uses terms that are unfamiliar, as when Plato describes the eye as 'brow-shaded', or a certain spider as poison-fanged', or the marrow as 'boneformed'. For an unusual phrase is always obscure.

Sometimes a phrase is used neither ambiguously, nor yet metaphorically, nor yet literally, as when the law is said to be the 'measure' or 'image' of the things that are by nature just. Such phrases are worse than metaphor; for the latter does make its meaning to some extent clear because of the likeness involved; for those who use metaphors do so always in view of some likeness: whereas this kind of phrase makes nothing clear; for there is no likeness to justify the deion 'measure' or 'image', as applied to the law, nor is the law ordinarily so called in a literal sense. So then, if a man says that the law is literally a 'measure' or an 'image', he speaks falsely: for an image is something produced by imitation, and this is not found in the case of the law. If, on the other hand, he does not mean the term literally, it is clear that he has used an unclear expression, and one that is worse than any sort of metaphorical expression.

Moreover, see if from the expression used the definition of the contrary be not clear; for definitions that have been correctly rendered also indicate their contraries as well. Or, again, see if, when it is merely stated by itself, it is not evident what it defines: just as in the works of the old painters, unless there were an inion, the figures used to be unrecognizable.

同类推荐
  • Lady Susan

    Lady Susan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • FRECKLES

    FRECKLES

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 黑鞑事略

    黑鞑事略

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 明伦汇编交谊典品题部

    明伦汇编交谊典品题部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 放翁词

    放翁词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 妃你不可:妖孽皇溺宠倾城妃

    妃你不可:妖孽皇溺宠倾城妃

    凌乱的锦绣鸳鸯床上,男子愤怒的拉开衣领,胸前白皙的肌肤上布满一大片的吻痕。他又脱下上衣,露出后背,一片片的血红抓痕赫赫在目,最后他邪笑道:“昨晚可是我的初夜,你难道不该对我负责吗?”纪竹雨弱弱的看了男人一眼,沉思片刻,最后咬咬牙道:“你开个价吧,一夜多少钱?”男子脸色瞬间黑如锅底,正准备掐死这个打算始乱终弃的女人时,女子又继续道:“不过不能超过一百两!”男子终于爆发了,“靠!本王的初夜就只值一百两吗?”
  • 镜宗

    镜宗

    复仇?为谁?前世今生究何寻觅?看破红尘还是杀破红尘?前世恋人今生何寻?只为红颜一媚奋发练功杀死仇敌?各种道路各种彷徨各种抉择,究竟何去何从?缘起缘灭终究会变尘埃,我提笔将乱世述来。
  • 风水术之寻龙点穴

    风水术之寻龙点穴

    这不是命,是命运。这不是术,是理数。这不是势,是运势。一切皆由命起,完结的却是命运,决定命运的是理数,而造就理数的是运势。挖开历史洪荒,逆转时间的年轮,这是个阴阳搓顿的世界。
  • 青春,我为你疯狂

    青春,我为你疯狂

    ‘他,是校长唯一的儿子张宇灿,他玩世不恭;她,是林氏集团的的千金林静璇,她是惹人怜憎的大小姐。他们从开学时初见面时‘打打闹闹’的欢喜冤家,再到后面渐渐擦出爱的火花,这一切的一切也都归功于他们闺蜜和兄弟们的‘帮助’。他们是怎样修成正果的呢?他们之间发生了哪些故事呢?
  • 复仇皇子

    复仇皇子

    3年之前,他全家被杀,灵山学艺3年,他受尽屈辱,终成绝世神功,下山复仇,手刃仇人后,却不得不走他最不想走的路:一统天下,他到底该怎么办?
  • 阴冥之战

    阴冥之战

    阴冥之战,决战阴冥,看赢亥如何斩妖除魔,捍卫正义,但在孝道和大道面前,他会作何抉择……
  • 校园之修武

    校园之修武

    他是杀手榜上最神秘的冷影……他在村里却被无良老头压榨得每天生活费一块钱……
  • 异灵人

    异灵人

    一位晨练的医者坟场奇遇后,斩妖除魔、济世救人的玄奇人生。他是一位道法佛法很高的人,但生活中,他有是普普通通的,没人真正了解他的底细、、、、、
  • 赦灵传说

    赦灵传说

    身负血海深仇的传奇猎手——肖静,勇敢,坚毅,又不失调皮。这是讲述他的赦灵故事:目前更新第一部《阿修罗之心》,预计15至20W字左右。
  • 半开荷塘寄浮生

    半开荷塘寄浮生

    前世受尽侮辱的她被自己最亲的人陷害致死,可是……死了就算了为什么又是穿越?!穿越也就算了,为什么还穿到一个不受宠的小姐身上?不行不行,前世已经苦逼到极点的她怎能再次受人欺躏!懦弱妹子修炼成女汉子的路途才刚刚开始,可是就在这时,上天赐予了她一个神奇却又可怕的开挂技能——预判生死。而美貌与智慧并存的三阿哥又强势的进入了她的生命里,朝夕相处下爱的种子慢慢在双方心里发芽,在爱情与友谊之间,她,到底该选择谁?