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The '''Categories''' ([[Latin|Lat.]] ''Categoriae'', [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Κατηγορίαι'' ''Katēgoriai'') is a work by [[Aristotle]] that aims to categorise all the possible sorts of thing which can be the [[Predicate (logic)| subject ]] or the [[Predicate (logic)| predicate ]] of a [[proposition]].  It is part of a collection of treatises now called the [[Organon]], which comprise all of his works on [[Arisotelian Logic | Logic]].

The '''Categories''' ([[Latin|Lat.]] ''Categoriae'', [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Κατηγορίαι'' ''Katēgoriai'') is a work by [[Aristotle]] that aims to categorise all the possible sorts of thing which can be the [[Predicate (logic)|subject]] or the [[Predicate (logic)|predicate]] of a [[proposition]].  It is part of a collection of treatises now called the [[Organon]], which comprise all of his works on [[Arisotelian Logic|Logic]].

The word 'category' (Latin ''praedicamentum'') is from the Greek word for 'predicate'.  A category is whatever can be expressed without composition.  According to Aristotle, there are only ten kinds of thing that can be predicated.  Thus the ''Categories'' places every possible thing that can be thought under one of these ten categories (known to medieval writers as the ''praedicamenta'' or ''generalissima'').   

The word 'category' (Latin ''praedicamentum'') is from the Greek word for 'predicate'.  A category is whatever can be expressed without composition.  According to Aristotle, there are only ten kinds of thing that can be predicated.  Thus the ''Categories'' places every possible thing that can be thought under one of these ten categories (known to medieval writers as the ''praedicamenta'' or ''generalissima'').   

The text begins with an explanation of "[[synonymous]]," or univocal words, what is meant by "[[homonym]]ous," or equivocal words, and what is meant by "[[paronymous]]," or denominative words.  Language is either simple, without composition or structure, such as "man," "horse," "fights," etc, or it has composition and structure, such as "a man fights," "the horse runs," etc.  Next, he distinguishes between a subject of ''[[Predicate (logic) | predication]]'', namely that of which anything is affirmed or denied, and a subject of ''inhesion''. A thing is said to be inherent in a subject, when, though it is not a part of the subject, it cannot possibly exist without it, e.g., shape in a thing having a shape.  

The text begins with an explanation of "[[synonymous]]," or univocal words, what is meant by "[[homonym]]ous," or equivocal words, and what is meant by "[[paronymous]]," or denominative words.  Language is either simple, without composition or structure, such as "man," "horse," "fights," etc, or it has composition and structure, such as "a man fights," "the horse runs," etc.  Next, he distinguishes between a subject of ''[[Predicate (logic)|predication]]'', namely that of which anything is affirmed or denied, and a subject of ''inhesion''. A thing is said to be inherent in a subject, when, though it is not a part of the subject, it cannot possibly exist without it, e.g., shape in a thing having a shape.  

Of all the things that exist,  

Of all the things that exist,  

# Some things can neither be in a subject nor be predicated of any subject. These are ''individual substances'', which cannot be predicated, because they are individuals; and cannot be in a subject, because they are substances.  

# Some things can neither be in a subject nor be predicated of any subject. These are ''individual substances'', which cannot be predicated, because they are individuals; and cannot be in a subject, because they are substances.  

Then we come to the categories themselves, (1)-(4) above being called by the [[Scholasticism | scholastic]]s the ''[[antepraedicamenta]]''. Note, however, that although Aristotle apparently distinguished between being in a subject, and being predicated truly of a subject, in the ''[[Prior Analytics]]'' these are treated as synonymous. This has caused some to suggest that Aristotle was not the author of the ''Categories''.

Then we come to the categories themselves, (1)-(4) above being called by the [[Scholasticism|scholastic]]s the ''[[antepraedicamenta]]''. Note, however, that although Aristotle apparently distinguished between being in a subject, and being predicated truly of a subject, in the ''[[Prior Analytics]]'' these are treated as synonymous. This has caused some to suggest that Aristotle was not the author of the ''Categories''.

The ten categories, or classes, are  

The ten categories, or classes, are