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Chapter 7 - The Categories

(i) Placement and title

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

R. W. Sharples
Affiliation:
University College London
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Summary

Simplicius, On Aristotle’s Categories 15.27–16.4

(1) But it is worth enquiring into the reason for the title, first, how many titles there are, and which of them is more to be approved. For some gave the book the title Preliminary to the Topics, others On the Kinds of Being, others On the Ten Kinds, others Ten Categories, others Categories, as is still now the current [title]. (2) Those who gave the title Preliminary to the Topics and put the book here in sequence [acted] strangely; for it is preliminary not only to topics, but in logic to the whole consideration of syllogisms and demonstration and to that of premisses, to which they give the title On Interpretation, and in the consideration of beings the teaching of the simple ones leads the way in all philosophy, since it teaches [us] about the most fundamental elements. (3) It was not just anyone who placed the Topics immediately after the Categories, but Adrastus of Aphrodisias, one of the genuine Peripatetics, in his On the Order of Aristotle’s Philosophy wants the Topics to be placed after the Categories in order, what persuasive reason is there for the judgement of [this] distinguished man?

Simplicius, On Aristotle’s Categories 379.6–10

But we must enquire in general concerning [the ‘post-predicamenta’, chapters 10–15 in modern editions of the Categories], first why these are added at the end of the Categories, and what use they have. Some, among them Andronicus, say that they were added contrary to the purpose of the book by whoever gave the book Categories the title Preliminary to the Topics.

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Peripatetic Philosophy, 200 BC to AD 200
An Introduction and Collection of Sources in Translation
, pp. 47 - 48
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

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  • The Categories
  • R. W. Sharples, University College London
  • Book: Peripatetic Philosophy, 200 BC to AD 200
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511781506.011
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  • The Categories
  • R. W. Sharples, University College London
  • Book: Peripatetic Philosophy, 200 BC to AD 200
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511781506.011
Available formats
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  • The Categories
  • R. W. Sharples, University College London
  • Book: Peripatetic Philosophy, 200 BC to AD 200
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511781506.011
Available formats
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