Organon (Owen)/Topics/Book 3

Chap. 1. Of Topics relative to the More Eligible and Better.
 * 1st Topic. Consideration of the eligible; things vastly diverse not to be taken into account.  The eligible is either—
 * 1st, The more durable, and which commends itself to the wise or good; or,
 * 2nd, Species and genus are preferable to accident.
 * 3rd, Or what is chosen for itself.
 * 4. What is "per se" the cause of good, is better than what is accidentally so. (Cf. Hooker, v. 65, p. 306.)
 * 5. That which is simply good.
 * 6. What is naturally good.
 * 7. What is present with the more honourable.
 * 8. Also the of the better.
 * 9. Also what is in the better or prior.
 * 10. Also the end, than what leads to it.
 * 11. And what more approximates to it.
 * 12. The possible, than the impossible.
 * 13. The efficient of the better end, these to be viewed by analogy.
 * 14. The more beautiful and honourable per se. (Cf. Rhet. i. 11. Ethics, b. viii. Mids. Night's Dream, act iii. sc. 2.)

Chap. 2. Upon the Similar and Super-excellent.
 * 1. We must judge of the excellence of things by their consequents, positively and negatively—this investigation two-fold.
 * 2. More goods preferable to fewer; an objection.
 * 3. A thing at its acme of potentiality, more eligible.
 * 4. Whatever is useful at all, or at most, times.
 * 5. What is sufficient of itself, when all possess it.
 * 6. Of corruptions, etc., and their contraries.
 * 7. The nearer and more similar to the good, etc.: an objection stated.
 * 8. Ascertain whether the similar exists in the more ridiculous.
 * 9. Compare relative excellence of the object resembled; objection.
 * 10. If the resemblance to the better, be in something inferior.
 * 11. The more illustrious.
 * 12. The more difficult
 * 13. The less common.
 * 14. The less connected with evil.
 * 15. The best in the simply better.
 * 16. What our friends can share.
 * 17. What we would rather do for friends.
 * 18. Things from abundance; an exception stated.
 * 19. What cannot be supplied by another.
 * 20. What we chiefly desire to be present to us.
 * 21. The absence of which we less reprove persons for lamenting, et contra.

Chap. 3. Of the more Eligible, continued.
 * 1. That is preferable, which alone, or in a greater degree, possesses its appropriate virtue.
 * 2. Whose presence produces good, or the greater good.
 * 3. Judgment of the preferable to be formed from cases, etc.
 * 4. The greater good of the same.
 * 5. The one of two most to be preferred in reference to a third.
 * 6. Where excess is preferable.
 * 7. What a man prefers to obtain by himself.
 * 8. We must judge from addition; a caution stated.
 * 9. Also from detraction.
 * 10. Also if one is eligible per se, but the other on account of estimation; definition of the latter.
 * 11. If one be for both but the other for one only.
 * 12. What is more honourable for its own sake.
 * 13. Notice in how many ways the eligible is predicated, "et quorum gratiâ."
 * 14. What is desired is more eligible than what is indifferent.

Chap. 4. Of the Use of these Places for Demonstrating what is Eligible or to be Avoided.
 * 1. The same places, however, are also useful for showing whatever is to be chosen or to be avoided.

Chap. 5. Of Topics pre-eminently Universal from the more and greater.
 * 1st Top. Topics preeminently universal of the more, and greater, to be assumed; reason.
 * 2nd Top. Causes to be distinguished.
 * 3rd Top. That which is more such.
 * 4th Top. From addition.
 * 5th Top. From detraction.
 * 6th Top. Things more unmixed with contraries.
 * 7th Top. What is more receptive of the definition.

Chap. 6. That the above Places are useful for Particular Problems.
 * 1. He shows how the above places in this, and in the preceding, book, apply to particular problems. Places from opposites, etc., especially suitable.
 * 2. Topic from the more, and less, and similarly.
 * 3. That we may subvert not only from another, but from the same genus.
 * 4. Case of hypothesis.
 * 5. The indefinite can be subverted in one way only.
 * 6. Confirmation possible in two ways.
 * 7. When the thesis is definite, we may subvert in two ways.
 * 7.2. Or in three.
 * 7.3. Or in four.
 * 8. Singulars to be attended to, as to things inherent—also genera.
 * 9. Also accident.

