The Art of Logic, Book 1 · Part 4
Genus.
Genus, is that which hath Species under it, that is, a general is that which containeth two specials or more under it.
The common Rules hereof are four.
Rules 4.1 The Genus or general is alway of the same Predicament1 or order of things with it Species or special. By which Canon or Rule, you may discern any, and many false generals, as that the body of Christ is not the true Genus or general of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper; that water is not the true Genus of Baptism, nor an action the Genus of sin, nor air of sound, that harmony or number is not the Genus of the soul, for such be not in one Predicament; by this also Metaphors are removed, as when the Church is called Noahs Ark, or the Spouse the body of Christ; these are true, but not the true genera or generals: for Metaphors shew not what a thing is, but what a thing is like to.
2 The Genus is never the cause of his Species, nor the2 subject, nor the accident, and therefore is never predicated or spoken of his Species in the Concrete, but alwayes absolutely in the right (that is the nominative) Case: They therefore erre, that in the Meteors make water to be the Genus of rain; fire the Genus of a Comet; air of the wind; whereas Meteors are called waterish, fiery, airy; so the cause cannot be the true Genus, as when dubitation is said to be the counterpoise of equal reason; Anger the boiling of the blood about the heart; Death the separating of the soul from body, &c. In such, the causes are placed in stead of generals; so also for the subject, when we define wind to be the air moved; Original sin to be corrupt nature, &c.
3 The Genus is alwayes and necessarily more large than all the Species of it, and is not returned or reciprocated with them.
4 The Genus is inseparable from his Species; nor can that be the true Genus without which the Species are or may be in any, or any where: this proves motion cannot be the true Genus of pleasure, seeing pleasure may be somewhere, where motion is not or ceaseth.
Genus is twofoldGenus twofold.
Supream.
Subaltern.
1 The highest and most general, is so a Genus, as it can never be a Species.
2 Subaltern Genus is, that is successive and by turn, that is, when it is Genus of them contained under it, and Species of that which is above it.
Also the Genus is either remote and afar off from the Species, or, 2 Neer and next unto it; as the Genera of a man, a living Creature is the remote Genus, and Animal is the neerest Genus; for there are none other so neer man as those two.
Again the Genus is
Perfect. a
Imperfect. b
Perfect Genus, or a Synonymous general is, when his… Species all of them take equal part of him; as a living creature is the equal and perfect Genus of man and beast; for a beast is a living creature no lesse than, and equally with a man.
The Canons and Rules of a perfect Genus are five.
1 A perfect Genus hath a Nature not separated, but yet5 Rules of a perfect Genus. distinct from all his Species.
2 All that which is in the Genus is equally communicated with the Species, so as nothing can be said of the Genus, but the same also may, and must be said of every species.
3 The Genus is in Nature before all his Species, and therefore first in that knowledge which is according to Nature.
4 The Genus hath necessarily many species, as not being able to be conserved in one; for every genus is perfected in determination of opposite differences, and opposition implyeth plurality; so that one genus must of necessity have at the least two species.
5 A perfect Genus being put, there needs not therefore any determinate or certain species to be put; and if one species be denyed, the genus is not thereupon denyed.
There is an Analogy and similitude between a Genus and Matter: For first as the matter is more imperfect than the form, &c. So is the genus more imperfect then the difference or species. 2 As the first matter is undetermined to any of his forms so is the genus to any of his differences; & as the matters have a power unto the opposite forms; so hath theb generall unto the opposite differences; yet neverthelesse there is great discrimination betwixt the genus and the matter, and they be not the same.
An Imperfect Genus is that which is not communicated with his species equally and alike, but to one more, to another lesse.
The Rules and Canons of this be three.3 Rules of an imperfect Genus.
1 An Imperfect Genus, is immediately, properly and of it self communicated but with one species, with another it is communicated but mediately and secondarily in order to the primary species; so this genus (thing or ens) is an imperfect genus to substance and accident; for thing is communicated primarily to substance; to accident but secondarily in and by the substance, accidents being not so much things Create as Concreate.
2 An Imperfect Genus hath not a Nature altogether distinct from its species; so a thing naturally is not altogether distinct from substance or accident.
3 To put an Imperfect Genus, we must needs put some certain species, viz. that species by which it agreeth to the other; and this species being denyed, the genus it self is forthwith denyed.
And so much for the first Predicable of the first degree, to wit the genus.