Proprium (philosophy)
A proprium ( ancient Greek ἴδιον idion "characteristic, the peculiar") designates a peculiar logical predicate in logic since Aristotle . A proprium is a predicate that belongs exclusively to its subject, but does not designate its essence ( to ti en einai ). Thus, in the statement “Man is capable of grammar”, the proprium “capable of grammar” is stated from the subject “man”. Because everyone is also capable of grammar, but according to Aristotle, being capable of grammar does not mean the essence of human beings. Hence the proprium does not express a necessary property.
Proprium and subject can be swapped in the statement. So instead of “human” you can also say “anything that is capable of grammar”.
Porphyry
In the writing Isagoge des Porphyrios , the proprium is one of five types of generally expressible predicates. The other four types of predicates are genus, type, difference and accidental (see predicables ).
literature
- Hans Michael Baumgartner , P. Kolmer: Proprium . In: Joachim Ritter ua (Hrsg.): Historical dictionary of philosophy . Volume 7, Schwabe, Basel 1972, Sp. 1525-1527