ERROR AND FALLACIES 301 



haps, no parallel in modern times, beyond an occasional brilliant 

 display of cross-examination in our law courts. 



Aristotle divides fallacies into two groups : (i) So&amp;lt;f&amp;gt;la-fj.aTa 

 Trapa Trjv \el~iv, sophismata &quot;in dictione&quot; fallacies due to ambig 

 uity in language ; and (2) Sofaa-para e&amp;lt;u T??&amp;lt;? Xe^e&j?, sophismata 

 &quot;extra dictionem&quot; fallacies from sources other than ambiguity of 

 language. This division is, of course, exhaustive because dicho- 

 tomous ; but there is no positive bond between the various 

 members of the second or negative class. In the latter he enume 

 rates seven species, in the former six. They are as follows : 



(A) Sophismata in dictione : 



(1) Equivocatio^ equivocation, Trapa rrjv o^mw^Lav due to 

 ambiguity in a single term (ovo^ia). 



(2) Amphibolia, amphiboly (or amphibology), 1 Trapa rqv 

 an$i$o\iav due to ambiguity in the construction of a sentence 

 or phrase (XOYO?). 



(3) Compositio (or sensus compositus\ composition, Trapa rrjv 

 crvvBeo-iv due to taking together what ought to be kept separate. 



(4) Divisio (or sensus divisus), division, Trapa ryv Siaipea-iv 

 due to separating what ought to be kept together. 



(5) Accentus, accent, Trapa rrjv Trpoa-wSiav due to confusion 

 of meanings differentiated by diversity of accent or quantity. 



(6) Figura dictionis, figure of speech, Trapa TO a&quot;xfi/j.a rr)&amp;lt;; 

 A,eea&amp;gt;&amp;lt;? due to misinterpretation of the force of a verbal inflexion. 



(.5) Sophismata extra dictionem : 



(1) Accidens, accident, Trapa TO o-vpfteftrj/tos equating subject 

 with attribute. 



(2) A dicto simpliciter ad dictum secundum quid, and its con 

 verse, a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter (no English name 

 for this ; called briefly Secundum Quid), Trapa TO a-rrXw? 17 Try 

 \eyear0ai, teal //.^ Kvpi&s ignoring the limitations or special con 

 ditions under which a statement is true or false. 



(3) Ignoratio elenchi, arguing beside the point, Trapa rrjv rov 

 eXe7%ou ayvotav mistaking the matter in debate. 



(4) Petitio principii, begging the question, Trapa TO eV apxfi 

 \afjLftdveiv assuming in some form or other the proposition to 

 be proved. 



&quot; The Greek word is a a/t(/&amp;gt;i/3oAio, which is said to be an airrfrrj irapo rbv \6yov, 

 as distinct from &amp;lt;J/xa&amp;gt;j/y/u a, when the ambiguity is in an w 0/ ua (Soph., El. vii. 1693, 22). 

 Hence arose the compound a/j.&amp;lt;t&amp;gt;i&o\o\oyta, which became corrupted into amphibology, 

 as tlSu\o\arpfia became corrupted into idolatry,&quot; JOSEPH, op. cit., p, 539, n. 2. 



