The Relation Between Predicate and Subject
Table of Contents
Superphysics Note
When one thing is metaphysically subordinate to another thing thing, just as object is the predicate of a subject, then the qualities of that thing will be present in the other thing also.
For example, the idea of man in general is metaphysically subordinate to individual man as an idea, and animal as an idea is suboridate to man as an idea. Therefore, animal will be metaphysically subordinate to the individual man, for the individual man is both a man and an animal, metaphysically.
The diversity of classes of ideas that are not under one another are different in essence. For example, the class of animal, as idea, is different from the idea of knowledge.
The idea of animal has subordinate diverse essence-ideas as terrestrial, two-footed, winged, aquatic. But none of these ideas is the essence of knowledge. For one knowledge does not differ from another knowledge by being two-footed.
On the other hand, the same essences belong to the classes that under one another. For the higher classes are superior to the lower ones, so that as many diverse essences that belong to the subordinate classes will also belong to their superior class.