Aristotle on Metaphysics(2004) - Bibotu.com

THE SEARCH FOR PRIMARY BEING 215timber are something wholly indeterminate; clearly they are not. <strong>Aristotle</strong>nowhere in this argument introduces the concept of something whollyindeterminate, and we must not suppose that his argument commits himto this concept.iiiWhat in general is the essence of each thing, and whatthings have an essence? (VII. 4–5)<strong>Aristotle</strong> characterizes the concept of essence in two ways here (in VII. 4–5). First, he says that:The essence [to ti ēn einai] of each thing is what the thing is said [tobe] in virtue of itself [kath’ hauto].(1029 b 13–14)Second, he says that the essence of each thing is what is defined in thedefinition (horismos) of that thing (1030 a 6–7; see VII. 5, 1031 a 12: ‘clearly,then, a definition is an account of the essence’).When he says that the essence of a thing is what the thing is in virtue ofitself, he means that the essence of a thing is what is true of the thingsimply in virtue of its being the thing that it is and not in virtue of how itis related to other things. So, in other words, the essence of a thing is theproperties it must have if it is to be the thing that it is. This really is a basiccharacterization of the concept of essence. It is only natural that <strong>Aristotle</strong>cannot go much further in explaining in general terms what he means byessence, but can only illustrate this through particular examples. Thus hesays that your essence (he is pointing to the reader, or to a member of theaudience to which he is speaking) does not consist in your being educated,even if you are in fact educated; for it is not simply in virtue of your beingyourself (kata sauton) that you are educated (1029 b 14–16). Presumably,this is because your being educated depends not just on yourself and whoyou are, but also on your circumstances and how they affect you. So, evenif you are in fact educated, being educated is not one of the properties thatyou must have if you are to be the very thing that you are. He does not sayhere what is your essence, but presumably he thinks it is your being humanand rational; for it is simply in virtue of being yourself that you are humanand rational, and these are properties that you must have if you are to bethe very thing that you are.When he adds that the essence of a thing is what is defined in thedefinition (horismos) of that thing, he is first of all reminding us of what is