Both 'rational' and 'capable of laughter' characterize the human species, but their logical status differs.
Rational — differentia: an intrinsic defining constituent.
Capable of laughter — property: peculiar to the species but outside its definition of essence.
'Laughing animal' can identify the species by a special mark, but it is not an essential definition in the way 'rational animal' is. This prepares the later distinction between essential definition and description.
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The Five Predicables: Differentia, Property, Common Accident, Essential and Accidental Attributes
Both 'rational' and 'capable of laughter' characterize the human species, but their logical status differs.
Rational — differentia: an intrinsic defining constituent.
Capable of laughter — property: peculiar to the species but outside its definition of essence.
'Laughing animal' can identify the species by a special mark, but it is not an essential definition in the way 'rational animal' is. This prepares the later distinction between essential definition and description.