The history of philosophy, in eight parts by Thomas Stanley.

CHAP. XXXII.

Of fallacious Reasons or Sophismes.

BY Dialectick are discerned true and false reasons: the latter are Sophismes, proper to Sophists, who dispute for vain-glory, or gain; as true reasons are to Logicians, whose end is only to finde out truth.

Of fallacious reasons there are many kinds; the Quiescent rea∣son, or Sorites, the Lying, the Inexplicable, the Sluggish, the Do∣minative, the Vailed, Electra, the Horned, the Crocodilite, the Reci∣procall, the Nullity, the Defective, the Mower, the Bald, the Occult, the Negative.

a 1.1 Sorites, named from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a heap, is,b 1.2 when from things evident∣ly true, by short mutations, the dispute is brought to things evi∣dently false:c 1.3 as, Are not two few? are not three so likewise? and four, and so on to ten? But, two are a few, therefore ten.d 1.4 It is called also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the quiescent reason,e 1.5 because the way to withstand it is by stopping, and witholding the assent.

The lying reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is a captious argument, not to be dissolved. Of this, see the life of Eubulides.

f 1.6 The inexplicable reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so called, from the intri∣cate nature thereof, not to be dissolved, wherefore it seems to be the same with the lying, and perhaps the genus to most of those which follow.

The sluggish reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is manifested by this exam∣ple: g 1.7 If it be decreed that you shall recover of this sicknesse, you shall recover whether you take Physick or not. Again, if it be decreed you shall not recover, you shall not recover, whether you take Physick or not: Therefore it is to no purpose to take Physick. This argument is justly termed fluggish, faith Cicero, because by the same reason, all action may be taken away from life.

The Dominative reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; of this already in the life of Diodorus.

The vailed reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: Of this, and Electra, and the Horned reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the life of Eubulides.

The Crocodilite, so named from this Aegyptian fable:h 1.8 A wo∣man sitting by the side of Nilus, a Crocodile snatched away her child, promising to restore him, if she would answer truly to what he asked; which was, Whether he mean•• to restore him or not. She answered, Not to restore him, and challeng'd his promise, as having said the truth. He replyed, that if he should let her have him, she had not told true.

The reciprocall reasons, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, such was that ofi 1.9 Protago∣ras the Sophist, against Euathlus, a rich young man, his disciple, who promised him a great summe of mony for teaching him,

whereof halfe he paid in hand, the other halfe was to be paid the first that he should plead before the Judges, and carry the cause. Having learned long, and attained a great perfection in Rhetorick, he forbore to pl••ad in publi••k••, that he might de∣fraud Protagoras. Protagoras sues him, and the cause comming to hearing, begins thus: Know, foolish young man, that which way soe∣ver the Cause goes, whether for thee or against thee, thou must pay what I demand. If against thee, it will be given me by judgment; if for thee, thou must pay it according to our agreement. E••athlus answers: I might have been intrapped by your subtlety, if I did not plead my selfe, but had employ'd some other to plead for me. Now I r••ioyce doubly in the victory, that I shall be too hard for you, not only in cause, but in argu∣ment. Know therefore, my most wise Master, that which way soever the cause go, either with me, or against me, I will not pay what you demand. If it go with me, the judgment will acquit me; if against me, you are to have nothing by our agreement. The Judges not able to determine it, dismist them both.

k 1.10 The nullity, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, used by Ulysses, who called himselfe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, no body, when he hurt Polypheme, whence it came to be so named.

The defective reason, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, mentioned by Laertius in Zenone: The mower, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by Lucian: The bald, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by Laertius in Eubulide: The occult, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by La∣ertius in Eubulide: The negative, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, by Laertius in Chry∣sippo, and by Epictetus. But of these enough.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Suid.
• b 1.2

  Vlpian. 48. ad Sabin.
• c 1.3

  Laert. though the example be falsely applyed, as Bursius and Casaubon have observed.
• d 1.4

  Laert. in Chrysip.
• e 1.5

  Cic. Acad. qu••st. 4.
• f 1.6

  Agel. 9. 15.
• g 1.7

  Cicer▪ de ••at••,
• h 1.8

  ••oxop••t. in Apthe.
• i 1.9

  Agell. 5. 10.
• k 1.10

  Oay••.