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Differentia الفَصْل
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Differentia
al-faṣl
الفَصْل
A (faṣl) is a of a thing in answer to the question “which thing is it in its ?”
In a picture
Explanation
It separates a from what shares its : “rational” separates human from the other animals, and it is part of the human .
Also written as: fasl, differentia, specific difference.
In the text
وَإِمَّا غَيْرُ مَقُولٍ فِي جَوَابِ: مَا هُوَ، بَلْ مَقُولٌ فِي جَوَابِ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ هُوَ فِي ذَاتِهِ، وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُمَيِّزُ الشَّيْءَ عَمَّا يُشَارِكُهُ فِي الْجِنْسِ، كَالنَّاطِقِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِنْسَانِ، وَهُوَ الْفَصْلُ، وَيُرْسَمُ بِأَنَّهُ كُلِّيٌّ يُقَالُ عَلَى الشَّيْءِ فِي جَوَابِ: أَيُّ شَيْءٍ هُوَ فِي ذَاتِهِ.or it is not said in answer to “what is it?” but in answer to “which thing is it in its essence?”, and it separates a thing from what shares its genus, like “rational” relative to human: this is the differentia, described as a universal said of a thing in answer to “which thing is it in its essence?”.Examples
- النَّاطِق“rational”, for human
Related terms
Practise
2 question(s) on this term, in the practice set for the five universals.
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Question 1
A differentia (faṣl) is said in answer to which question?
and answer “what is it?”; the answers “which thing is it in its ?”.
Question 2
Which universal separates human from the other animals and is part of the human essence?
النَّاطِقُ
“Rational” (al-nāṭiq) is the of human: it separates human from the other animals and is part of what a human is. “Animal” is shared with them, and “walking” is not part of the .
Question 3
What does the differentia do that the genus does not?
The matn says the separates a thing from what shares its , as “rational” separates human from horse; the genus is what they share.
Next: Proprium الخَاصَّة
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