Kitap 5
2
(c) If a thing has not an attribute which it would naturally possess, and when it would naturally possess it (for blindness is a form of privation; but a man is not blind at any age, but only if he lacks sight at the age when he would naturally possess itThe qualification refers, I suppose, to the fact that an embryo does not naturally possess sight.), and similarly if itThe subject seems to be indefinite, but no doubt Aristotle is thinking primarily of the particular example which he has just given. A man is not called blind if he does not see in the dark, or if he does not see with his ears, or if he does not see sound, or if he does not see what is behind him or too far away ( Ross). lacks an attribute in the medium and organ and relation and manner in which it would naturally possess it.
3
(d) The forcible removal of anything is called privation. (e) Privation has as many senses as there are senses of negation derived from the negative affix (ἀ-). For we call a thing unequal because it does not possess equality (though it would naturally do so); and invisible either because it has no color at all or because it has only a faint one; and footless either because it has no feet at all or because it has rudimentary feet.
