[J] Ibn Sînâ in his «_Kitâb-ul-Najât_» says: «Indeed it has been called
«hylik» by way of likening it to primitive hylik matter, which in
itself has no form at all and yet is the substratum of each and every
form.»
[15] This passage as to syllogisms and conclusions may be made clearer
by rendering it thus:--«which, if arranged syllogistically, allow of
getting to conclusions that are (a) necessarily true and valid, viz.
apodictic; (b) most always true, viz. dialectic; (c) both true and
false, viz. rhetorical; (d) preponderantly false, viz. sophistical; and
(e) merely false, viz. poetical.»
[16] In his «_Najât_» Ibn Sînâ says of this science:
«Logic is the theoretical speculative science that teaches out of which
forms and materials there will come about satisfying argumentation,
of which argumentation that which is strong, and imposes an assertion
resembling certainty, is called dialectic; and that which is weak
thereof, and imposes a prevailing opinion, is called rhetorical.»
His compendious Essay on Logic remains to this day one of the clearest
and best that beginners can find in the Arabic language on this
abstract science of the Laws of Thought.
[K] fasting, prayer, night-watchings.