One expression can be adequate in one context and incomplete in another.
“What is a human?” — rational animal, the full specific essence.
“What are humans and cows?” — animal, their shared essential genus.
What matters is which species are being compared and what their essential commonality is, not a mechanical count of words.
Opening interactive controls...
The right answer depends on the set named
Mā Huwa: Asking What a Thing Is
One expression can be adequate in one context and incomplete in another.
“What is a human?” — rational animal, the full specific essence.
“What are humans and cows?” — animal, their shared essential genus.
What matters is which species are being compared and what their essential commonality is, not a mechanical count of words.