| This question <137|374> overall <336|338> Shelley: <336|591>. |
| Question 196: Aristotle wrote: ‘There can be no exchange without equality, and no equality without commensurability.’ What does he mean by this? What is the difference between equality and commensurability? |
| [337] Shelley: Aristotle means that when exchanging there must be an equal exchange. For example: we should trade 1 pound of sugar for 1 pound of salt. What is put forth in an exchange should be put forth by the other accepting. Something is equal if they have something in common as stated by Hans [137]. So, the quantity does not necessarily have to be equal but more the quality. |
| The difference between equality and commensurabiltiy: equality is more a social relation and commensurabiltiy is a measurement: the yardstick. |
| Hans: 1 pound sugar against one pound salt is a good example of equality of different goods: they look the same. (This equality is not a social relation.) |
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