Universa Philosophia

An analogical term is one which signifies several things neither altogether the same nor altogether diverse in the character signified by it. For thus analogical things are defined. For example, ens is analogical to substance and accident, because in them it is partly the same and partly diverse, which is most difficult to explain, as is plain in disputation 9 of the Logic, section 4. Analogical terms are in one way proper, that is, when the analogical character is found properly in each analogate, as ens is found properly in substance and accident, in God and creature: in another way improper, when the analogical character is found properly in one analogate, but improperly in the others, and by comparison to the proper one: for example, risus is analogical to the laughter of a man and of a meadow, but laughter is found properly in man alone, in a meadow however by trope in relation to man. In these analogical terms the common adage is true. An analogical term taken per se stands for the more famous significate, that is, for the proper significate. For if someone says, risus dolore miscebitur: he does not speak of the greenness and limpness of leaves, but of human laughter and pain: but in proper analogical terms that adage is not true, for ens taken per se does not stand for God alone. On the matter of this section, see disputation 9 of the Logic and 2 of the Metaphysics: but whether equivocation is in the mind, see disputation 5 on the soul, section 6.