Kitap 14
12
Surely the indeterminate dyad or the Great and Small is no reason why there should be two whites or many colors or flavors or shapes; for then these too would be numbers and units. But if the Platonists had pursued this inquiry, they would have perceived the cause of plurality in substances as well; for the causeMatter, according to Aristotle; and there is matter, or something analogous to it, in every category. Cf. Aristot. Met. 12.5. is the same, or analogous.
13
This deviation of theirs was the reason why in seeking the opposite of Being and unity, from which in combination with Being and unity existing things are derived, they posited the relative (i.e. the unequal), which is neither the contrary nor the negation of Being and unity, but is a single characteristic of existing things, just like substance or quality. They should have investigated this question also; how it is that relations are many, and not one.
14
As it is, they inquire how it is that there are many units besides the primary unity, but not how there are many unequal things besides the Unequal. Yet they employ in their arguments and speak of Great and Small, Many and Few (of which numbers are composed), Long and Short (of which the line is composed), Broad and Narrow (of which the plane is composed), Deep and Shallow (of which solids are composed); and they mention still further kinds of relation.Cf. Aristot. Met. 14.1.6, 18, Aristot. Met. 1.9.23. Now what is the cause of plurality in these relations?
