It has been discussed in the previous issue that there are nine types of questions according to the philosophers:<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
We have already discussed the first two of these and in this article will continue discussion of the forms of questioning outlined above.<\/p>\n
The third question is \u2018How many\/much?\u2019 The question pertains to measurement. Dimensions and measurements are of two types. One is the continuous and the other separated. The continuous forms of measure are of five types: line, plane, body, space and time. The separated forms of measure are two: numbers and motion. In all of these instances we can ask the question \u201cHow many or how much?\u201d and they can be quantified.<\/p>\n
Now on to the next question, \u201cHow (is it)?\u201d<\/p>\n
This question pertains to the description of the entity in question \u2013 a question that can be answered in many ways.<\/p>\n
The next question is \u201cWhich is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
This question pertains to the specific nature of something which can be best illustrated through the following examples:<\/p>\n
If it is stated, \u201cThe star has risen,\u201d then the question that will be asked is, \u201cWhich star has risen?\u201d because there are many stars. On the other hand if someone were to say, \u201cThe Sun has risen,\u201d then it will not be asked, \u201cWhich Sun has risen,\u201d because we have only one Sun. The same is true for the Moon.<\/p>\n
The next question is \u201cWhere is it?\u201d a question that pertains to the place or status of a thing.<\/p>\n
The question of where in the context of space or place applies to certain objects. An example would be, \u201cWhere is Zaid?\u201d and the answer might be, \u201cHe is at home \u2013 or in the masjid \u2013 or in the bazaar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now when the question is applied to traits or characteristics then first we must determine that there are two types of \u2018traits\u2019 \u2013 the physical and non-physical.<\/p>\n
A physical trait would be a colour, a taste, a smell and the like. If we were to ask the question, \u201cWhere is black?\u201d then the answer would be, \u201cIn things that are black.\u201d<\/p>\n
A non-physical trait is, for example, knowledge. So if we ask the question, \u201cWhere is knowledge?\u201d then the answer would be, \u201cIn the soul of the one who is knowledgeable.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same would be true of other traits such as courage, generosity and justness which characterize the soul.<\/p>\n
The position or status of an entity is an abstract quantity.<\/p>\n
For example if you are asked, \u201cWhere is the soul?\u201d then the reply would be below the intellect and above the temperament.<\/p>\n
Similarly if it were asked, \u201cWhere is 5 in the count?\u201d it would be said it is after 4 and before 6.<\/p>\n
In this way are described those entities which do not have a location by which they can be specified, but have a position in relation to other things.<\/p>\n
The next type of question would be, \u201cWhen is it?\u201d which is a question regarding time.<\/p>\n
Time is of 3 types; the past as in yesterday, the future as in tomorrow and the present as in today. The same applies to years, months and hours.<\/p>\n
Now we come to \u201cWhy is it?\u201d which is asking about the reason for something.<\/p>\n
The reasons for any manufactured item are of 4 types; the raw material, the shape or form, the act of the one who is working on it and the outcome.<\/p>\n
This is illustrated by the chair, the door and the bed. The raw material is wood, the shape is their design, the action is the work of the carpenter and the outcome of the chair is to sit on it, just as \u00a0the bed is to sleep on it and the door to close the house.<\/p>\n
The next question is \u2018Who is?\u201d<\/p>\n
There is some conflict in the understanding of scholars of grammar over this question with one group saying it only applies to all who are sentient whilst another suggests it is only for those of learning and discernment.<\/p>\n
The question \u201cWho is?\u201d is resolved by relating to one of 3 aspects; to their hometown, to their origin or to their work.<\/p>\n
So if it is asked, \u201cWho is Zaid?\u201d the answer could be \u201cAl-Basari,\u201d meaning he is from Basra.<\/p>\n
Or he is \u201cAl-Hashimi,\u201d the dynasty from which he hails or \u201cThe carpenter\u201d as in the work that he does.<\/p>\n
And that brings to an end our brief glimpse into the nature of number and questions. These are purely introductory in order to give the student an understanding of philosophical logic prior to the reading of the Isagoge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It has been discussed in the previous issue that there are nine types of questions according to the philosophers: \u2018Is it?\u2019 \u2018What is it?\u2019 \u2018How many?\u2019 \u2018How is it?\u2019 \u201cWhat thing is it?\u201d \u2018Where is it?\u2019 \u2018When was\/is it?\u2019 \u2018Why is it?\u2019 \u2018Who is it?\u2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":884,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/empireuae.com\/demo\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}