The arte of logick Plainely taught in the English tongue, according to the best approued authors. Very necessary for all students in any profession, how to defend any argument against all subtill sophisters, and cauelling schismatikes, and how to confute their false syllogismes, and captious arguments. By M. Blundevile.

CHAP. XX.

Of Science, Opinion, Ignorance, Witte, and of the foure Sciencial questions.

WHat other things are wont to bee treated of by the Schoolemen in demonstration?

Diuers things; as what difference is betwixt Science and Opinion: also they treate of the diuers kindes of Ignorance, of prompt Witte: and of the foure Scienciall questions.

What difference is betwixt Science and opinion?

Science, as hath been said before, is that which consisteth of necessary, certaine, and infallible Propositions, and of such things as cannot be otherwise. Opinion is the knowledge of things casuall, which may bee sometime false, and sometime true.

How many kindes of Ignorance doe the Schoolemen make?

Two: that is to say, absolute, which of the Schoolmen is called Ignorantia negationis, and ignorance by false conception, which they call Ignorantia affectionis. The first is, when we vt∣terly denie to haue any knowledge of a thing at all: The o∣ther is, when we thinke to know that which we know not, be∣ing deceiued by some false perswasion, whereunto we are af∣fected, whereof it is called Ignorantia affectionis.

How doth Aristotle define prompt Witte, called of the Latines Solertia?

He defineth it to be a promptnesse or readinesse, in quickly finding out the proofe or cause of any thing that is in questi∣on, without any studie.

Which be the foure Sciential questions?

These: whether the thing be, what it is, how it is, and wher∣fore it is: whereof the first enquireth of the Subiect, whether it be: the second of the Predicate, as what it is: the third, how it is, (that is to say) how the Predicate is spoken of the Sub∣iect: and the fourth asketh the cause why it is spoken of the Subiect? And thus much of a Syllogisme Demonstratiue: now of a Syllogisme Dialecticall, or probable.