LessonsSemantic Fallacies: Defects of Matter, Form, and PredicationQuiz

كل إنسان حيوان، والحيوان عام أو جنس أو مقول على كثيرين مختلفي الحقيقة
Every human is an animal, and animal is a general term or genus predicable of many different species.

A mistaken conclusion is كل إنسان عام أو جنس
Every human is a general term or genus.

“Animal” is predicable of each human as part of their nature; being a genus is a logical classification of the universal concept relative to species. It is not a physical or essential property of every individual person.

Keeping the two levels of discourse separate removes the fallacy.

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Why “animal is a genus” can be misused

Semantic Fallacies: Defects of Matter, Form, and Predication

كل إنسان حيوان، والحيوان عام أو جنس أو مقول على كثيرين مختلفي الحقيقة
Every human is an animal, and animal is a general term or genus predicable of many different species.

A mistaken conclusion is كل إنسان عام أو جنس
Every human is a general term or genus.

“Animal” is predicable of each human as part of their nature; being a genus is a logical classification of the universal concept relative to species. It is not a physical or essential property of every individual person.

Keeping the two levels of discourse separate removes the fallacy.