Overview of Core-Related Homonymy

Homonymy in Aristotle's Topics plays a distinct role in detecting non-synonymy and clarifying terms that are used in making up propositions for use in dialectical arguments. As we have seen, the results that homonymy achieves in Top. Alpha 15 by asking “how many ways” (to posachōs) something is said are often negative, yet we may begin to understand how the definitions of related things stand to one another, as in the case of the healthy (cf. Top. 106b35–37, 107b7–12). While it is evident that the Topics is not primarily concerned with explaining how dialectical method is applicable to the philosophical sciences (cf. 101a27–28), Aristotle's suggestion is by its use in revealing the natures of things. But, in any case, the explanation of the connection between dialectical method and the philosophical sciences has to be made by looking to other texts. Following our study of the method of homonymy as operating through “how many ways” something is said in Top. Alpha 15, I propose to discuss the operation of homonymy in works devoted to central, philosophical investigations, such as that of being in Meta. Gamma and Zeta. This discussion calls for an examination of the other aspects of the method of homonymy, what I have called the positive and synthetic aspects. Following the exposition of systematic, core-related homonymy, we shall turn to examine its use in regard to some common notions such as being, friendship, and nature in subsequent chapters.