160

Logic IV 166

of the mixture with one another, and join me this to the other three is a fourth (23CD). Possible the peculiar manner in which this enumeration is made refers to some incident in the school; or perhaps it is merely Plato's usual stule somewhat exaggerated. Now having his four categories, which are more concisely enumerated 27n, he proceeds to consider those things which admit of degrees, as hotter and colder. He asserts that the more or less which is essential to them prevents their having any limit (24A), which is the pricise contradictory of a modern mathematician's thought. We should now say that they either have two limits absolute heat and absolute cold, or the two limiting states are identical, or else they go round in a circle. But for my part, I do not feel sure that the limitation is necessary except with reference to measure. At any rate, if it be necessary that what has no limit should return into itself, that is because of continuity. The mere being more or less has no self-involved limit. So that if Plato, instead of saying