The book calls features beyond a thing's essence 'accidents' (aʿrāḍ). They may truthfully describe a thing without constituting its defining nature.
Its human examples include being dark-skinned, light-skinned, learned, or unlearned.
People can differ in these characteristics while still belonging to the human kind.
'Accidental' here does not mean unimportant or false; it means outside the essence under discussion.
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Accidents: properties outside the essence
Essence, Quiddity, and Essential vs Accidental Universals
The book calls features beyond a thing's essence 'accidents' (aʿrāḍ). They may truthfully describe a thing without constituting its defining nature.
Its human examples include being dark-skinned, light-skinned, learned, or unlearned.
People can differ in these characteristics while still belonging to the human kind.
'Accidental' here does not mean unimportant or false; it means outside the essence under discussion.