Page:O. F. Owen's Organon of Aristotle Vol. 1 (1853).djvu/234

. Wherefore, that the things assumed should really be contrary, is impossible in any other way than this, as was before observed.

Chapter 16
beg and assume the original (question) consists, (to take the genus of it,) in not demonstrating the proposition, and this happens in many ways, whether a person does not conclude at all, or whether he does so through things more unknown, or equally unknown, or whether (he concludes) what is prior through what is posterior; for demonstration is from things more creditable and prior. Now of these there is no begging the question from the beginning, but since some things are naturally adapted to be known through themselves, and some through other things, (for principles are known through themselves, but what are under principles through other things,) when a person endeavours to demonstrate by itself what cannot be known by itself, then he begs the original question. It is possible however to do this so as immediately to take the thing proposed for granted, and it is