(ط)
or that what cannot exist is either existent or nonexistent; for here one alternative is known to obtain, while the other is known to be impossible. If, however, you require knowledge that one of the alternatives is possible, it is valid to say: either He is living or He is not; either He is hearing and seeing or He is not. For if the negation is possible, the division is valid; if it is impossible, the affirmation is necessary, and the intended point is established.

If it is said, “This shows that this interpretation falls under the opposition of negation and affirmation, and we concede that, as stated in the objection. But all it establishes is that He is either hearing or not hearing, and either seeing or not seeing; the opponent chooses the negation,” he may be told: On this assumption, what is affirmed is necessary, and what is denied is impossible. Thus, these attributes are either necessary to Him or impossible for Him. There is no basis for claiming that they are impossible, since there is no evidence whatsoever for that claim.

Indeed, it may be said: We know self-evidently that the claim of impossibility is false. For their impossibility can only be argued on the same grounds used to deny the attributes altogether, and the invalidity of those grounds is already known. It must therefore be affirmed that these attributes are necessary to Him.

Know that this can serve as an independent method of affirming His attributes of perfection. They are either necessary to Him or impossible for Him. The latter is false, so the former must be true; for His being capable