Las ideas gozan de...

Question

Las ideas gozan de las caracteristicas, cada idea es única, eterna e inmutable.

Can we simply translate it as : "The ideas have characteristics...." Or does it mean something different? Thanks!

Here is the context:

"-Las ideas tienen una existencia separada de las cosas del mundo sensible. No son un caracter común que está en las cosas como definiciones universales o el concepto de forma aristotelico. Son entidades que poseen existencia real e independiente. -La teoria implica una duplicación del mundo, existiendo una separación entre ambos mundos. -En cuanto que son esencias, las ideas gozan de las caracteristicas, cada idea es única, eterna e inmutable. Son indivisibles. En contraste, las cosas del mundo sensible son multiples, contingentes y perecederas. Las ideas no son realidades corporeas, son realidades inmateriales que únicamente pueden ser captadas a través del pensamiento. "

-Diferencias entre Platón y Aristóteles

Enviado por Programa Chuletas y clasificado en Chuletas de Filosofía de Bachiller.-

Can you provide a bit more context. It's a bit of an odd sentence.... - Gekkosan, Dec 29, 2010

Answer 1

I would go for a literal translation here, with a slight modification:

"Inasmuch as they are an essence, ideas enjoy those qualities, each idea is unique, eternal and immutable. "

I agree with Lazarus that "las ideas gozan de las caracteristicas" is rather bad style, because it is not clear what "characteristics" those are, exactly. In English, I'd change it to "qualities", because it sounds more natural (to my ears at least).

Yes, maybe it's not the correct way of telling it, and I agree, If we are praising the ideas (as he's doing), then it's totally correct.. :) - culé, Dec 29, 2010

And if the person says "Chuletas" I can't expect him to use a perfect Spanish either... :) - culé, Dec 29, 2010

Answer 2

I would say embody, but I would also rearrange the sentences a bit in a translation. Philosophy is like tissue paper and doesn't hold up well to anything, much less translation between languages.

Yes, also seems possible, if we are not praising them that much.. :) And I agree, I just wanted to see if I'd got the sentence correctly, that's why I want to see it in English, as it's the language I can understan better... :) - culé, Dec 29, 2010

understand- - culé, Dec 29, 2010

In English, this is a descirption of the differences between Plato (who took the position of pure reasoin) and Aristotle (who took the position that ideas ome from observation), which is why I would use the word embody in English. - lorenzo9, Dec 29, 2010

Answer 3

Maybe there is an interpretation that I haven't thought of, or we need to read the previous sentences to understand it, but that sentence on its own is unacceptable. What is "las características"? You don't use definite articles unless other people know exactly what you are talking about.

Well, It's not something I wrote, I think a Spanish wrote it. - culé, Dec 29, 2010

a Spanish 'speaker' or a Spanish 'person' :) - Kiwi-Girl, Dec 29, 2010

Yep , right. jeje - culé, Dec 29, 2010

Answer 4

I would not reccomend to simply translate it as: "The ideas have characteristics", because you would miss strong meaningful words:"unica, eterna e inmutable". Many ideas can have characteristics, but not all of them are unique nor posses eternity. As you know, in Spanish ther are strong words that can change the whole meaning of the sentence, being unique or possessing eternity can definitely mean much more than just posses characteristic. Adding these two, really enhance the meaning of the idea.

Then how would you say it in English? But you say that's the meaning, right? Only, saying simply "have" is not the right way... ? - culé, Dec 29, 2010