Χαλεπώτατον

very difficult

Translated by Oliver Phillips â · 7 Mar 2002 · Vetting: high · 6 revisions

Translation

Aristotle says in the second [book] of Topica: converting¹ an appropriate name derived from an accidental² [is] very difficult. One would say very difficult because it is not simple nor readily done, as in the case of the others.

Greek original

Χαλεπώτατον· φησὶν Ἀριστοτέλης ἐν δευτέρῳ Τοπικῶν· χαλεπώτατον τὸ ἀντιστρέφειν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ συμβεβηκότος οἰκείαν ὀνομασίαν. χαλεπώτατον λέγοι ἄν, ὅτι μὴ ἁπλοῦν μηδὲ πρόχειρον, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων.

Betacode

*xalepw/taton: fhsi\n *)aristote/lhs e)n deute/rw| *topikw=n: xalepw/taton to\ a)ntistre/fein th\n a)po\ tou= sumbebhko/tos oi)kei/an o)nomasi/an. xalepw/taton le/goi a)/n, o(/ti mh\ a(plou=n mhde\ pro/xeiron, w(s e)pi\ tw=n a)/llwn.

Notes (2)

Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentaries on Aristotle's Topica 131.20-23 Wallies. The Suda's headword, neuter singular of this superlative, is extracted from the body of the entry.
1Aristotle shortly illustrates an example of correct conversion in 109a14-16: "for example, if 'to be a biped pedestrian animal is an attribute of A,' it will be true to say by conversion that 'A is a biped pedestrian animal'." For a formal definition of "conversion" see web address 1 below. ↩
2In 109a22-24: "... it is not enough to show that whiteness or justice is an attribute of a man in order to show that he is white or just; for it is possible to argue that he is only partly white or just." In other words whiteness and justice are not necessary attributes of a man but being a biped is. From Aristotle on, 'accidentals' or simply 'accidents' play a great role in philosophical definitions. For a formal definition of 'accident' see web address 2 below.

↩

References

E.S. Forster (tr.), Topica: London and Cambridge, MA, 1960, the source of the translations of the Topica.

External resources

Web address 1 philosophypages.com
Web address 2 philosophypages.com

Linked from (1)

χ20Χαλεπωτάτους λόγουςmost difficult words, very difficult words

Neighbours in Adler order

χ16Χαλεπὰ τὰ καλάexcellent things are difficult χ17Χαλεπαίνειis vexed χ18Χαλεπὸν χορίου κύνα γεύειν[it is] dangerous when a dog tastes [the] afterbirth χ19Χαλεπώτατονvery difficult χ20Χαλεπωτάτους λόγουςmost difficult words, very difficult words χ21Χαλίκρητος ποτόςneat drink χ22Χαλίμαloose woman

Revisions (6)

7 Nov 2013David Whitehead
26 Sep 2013Catharine Rothtweaked notes
22 Apr 2010David Whiteheadadded primary note and another keyword
22 Dec 2002David Whiteheadcosmetics
7 Mar 2002Oliver Phillips âtranslated

Greek original

Betacode

*xalepw/taton: fhsi\n *)aristote/lhs e)n deute/rw| *topikw=n: xalepw/taton to\ a)ntistre/fein th\n a)po\ tou= sumbebhko/tos oi)kei/an o)nomasi/an. xalepw/taton le/goi a)/n, o(/ti mh\ a(plou=n mhde\ pro/xeiron, w(s e)pi\ tw=n a)/llwn.

Notes (2)

Alexander of Aphrodisias, Commentaries on Aristotle's Topica 131.20-23 Wallies. The Suda's headword, neuter singular of this superlative, is extracted from the body of the entry.

1Aristotle shortly illustrates an example of correct conversion in 109a14-16: "for example, if 'to be a biped pedestrian animal is an attribute of A,' it will be true to say by conversion that 'A is a biped pedestrian animal'." For a formal definition of "conversion" see web address 1 below. ↩

2In 109a22-24: "... it is not enough to show that whiteness or justice is an attribute of a man in order to show that he is white or just; for it is possible to argue that he is only partly white or just." In other words whiteness and justice are not necessary attributes of a man but being a biped is. From Aristotle on, 'accidentals' or simply 'accidents' play a great role in philosophical definitions. For a formal definition of 'accident' see web address 2 below.