down, and of those which do not appear (true), such as are less improbable than the conclusion, for it will appear then, that the disputation has been sufficiently well conducted. In like manner, if the thesis be neither improbable nor probable, for thus all things apparent must be admitted, and of those which do not appear, such as are more probable than the conclusion, for thus it will happen that the arguments will be more probable. If then what is laid down be simply probable or improbable, we must make a comparison with reference to those which appear simply (true), but if what is laid down, be not simply probable or improbable, but to the respondent, it must be laid down, or not, with reference to him deciding what appears, and what does not appear. If moreover the respondent defends the opinion of another, it is clear that the several particulars must be laid down and denied, looking to the conception which he forms; wherefore they who entertain strange opinions, e. g. that good and evil are the same, as Heraclitus says, do not admit that contraries are not simultaneously present with the same thing, not as if this did not seem so, to them, but because, according to Heraclitus, so it must be asserted. They also do this who receive theses from each other, since they conjecture what he who lays the thesis down will say.
Chapter 6
It is evident then what the points are, which the respondent should direct his attention to, whether what is laid down be simply probable, or is so to a certain person; since however every question must be of necessity either probable or improbable, or neither, also must pertain either to the disputation or not, if indeed it be probable and not relevant to the argument, it must be admitted when it has been stated that it is probable; but if it be improbable and irrelevant to the argument, it must be admitted indeed, yet we must signify besides, that it does not seem probable, for the sake of avoiding
