Accidental universal

al-ʿaraḍī

العَرَضِيّ

An accidental universal (ʿaraḍī) is one that lies outside the reality of what it is said of.

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In a picture

“Laughing” belongs to human only (a proprium); “walking” belongs to human and other animals (a common accident). Neither is part of what a human is.

Explanation

Proprium and common accident are accidental: “capable of laughter” and “walking” are true of every human or some humans, but are not part of what a human is.

Also written as: aradi, accidental.

In the text

وَالْكُلِّيُّ إِمَّا ذَاتِيٌّ: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَدْخُلُ فِي حَقِيقَةِ جُزْئِيَّاتِهِ كَالْحَيَوَانِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِنْسَانِ وَالْفَرَسِ، وَإِمَّا عَرَضِيٌّ: وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُخَالِفُهُ كَالضَّاحِكِ بِالنِّسْبَةِ إِلَى الإِنْسَانِ.A universal is either essential, one that enters into the reality of its particulars, like “animal” relative to human and horse; or accidental, one that is otherwise, like “laughing” relative to human.وَأَمَّا الْعَرَضِيُّ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يَمْتَنِعَ انْفِكَاكُهُ عَنِ الْمَاهِيَّةِ وَهُوَ الْعَرَضُ اللَّازِمُ، أَوْ لَا يَمْتَنِعَ وَهُوَ الْعَرَضُ الْمُفَارِقُ،As for the accidental, either it cannot be separated from the quiddity, which is the inseparable accident, or it can, which is the separable accident.

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