Abstract

Aristotle discusses relatives in the _Categories, Topics_, and _Sophistical Refutations_. This chapter begins to argue that Aristotle adapted Plato’s ideas about relativity into an Aristotelian framework. In the _Categories_, Aristotle defines relatives (6a36–b10) then discusses four hallmarks of the class of relatives: contrariety (6b15–18), scalability (6b19–27), reciprocity (6b28–7b14), and simultaneity (7b15–8a12). This chapter clarifies what these hallmarks are and shows how constitutive relativity is involved in the hallmarks. The chapter goes on to discuss how Aristotle treats the idea that relatives can fall into genus and species structures and how Aristotle treats the definition of relatives.