Simplicius - On Aristotle Categories 7-8

InCategorieschapters7and8Aristotleconsidershisthirdandfourthcategories-thoseofRelativeandQuality.CriticsofAristotlehadsuggestedforeachofthenon-substancecategoriesthattheycouldreallybereducedtorelatives,soitisimportanthowthecategoryofRelativeisdefined.Aristotleofferstwodefinitions,andthesecond,stricter,oneisoftencitedbyhisdefendersinordertoruleoutobjections.Theseconddefinitionofrelativeinvolvestheideaofsomethingchangingitsrelationshipthroughachangeundergonebyitscorrelate,notbyitself.Thereweredisagreementsastowhetherthiswasgenuinechange,andPlotinusdiscussedwhetherrelativesexistonlyinthemind,withoutbeingreal.ThetermsusedbyAristotleforsuchrelationshipswas\'beingdisposedrelativelytosomething\',atermlaterborrowedbytheStoicsfortheirfourthcategory,andperhapsoriginatinginPlato\'sAcademy.InhisdiscussionofQuality,Aristotlereportsadebateonwhetherjusticeadmitsofdegrees,orwhetheronlythepossessionofjusticedoesso.Simpliciusreportsthefurtherdevelopmentofthiscontroversyintermsofwhetherjusticeadmitsarangeorlatitude(platos).Thisdebatehelpedtoinspirethemedievalideaoflatitudeofforms,whichgoesbackmuchfurtherthaniscommonlyrecognised-atleasttoPlatoandAristotle.,