Now Aristotle did not simply set up a program for such a science but has himself initiated concrete investigations into the ἓν ἐναντίον in Metaphysics V. This inquiry into the structures of the Being of beings as such is what constitutes the fundamental science.
This mode of questioning is formally the same as the one of second philosophy, i.e., of the other philosophies, which consider definite regions of beings with regard to the structure of their Being. These philosophies do not describe beings, e.g., the φύσει ὄντα, but investigate precisely the structure of their Being; they explicate, e.g., the idea of κίνησις. Likewise, this is how they consider, e.g., the field of objects which are characterized by the title of ἀριθμός, number. Aristotle makes a sharp distinction between number and the ἕν : the ἕν still belongs to ὄν, the ἕν is not yet a number. Plato, on the other hand, intermingled these nexuses, which can be seen in the fact that the Ideas themselves are conceived as numbers. Likewise other regions, such as the στερεόν, the solid, solidity (we would say "materiality") have their definite structures; furthermore so do the ἀκίνητον, the unmoved in its unmoveableness, the ἀβαρές, the unheavy, which has no weight, and the heavy. All these beings have, with regard to their Being, ἴδια, peculiar categorial determinations. And in this way there is a science which considers beings as beings. οὕτω καὶ τῷ ὄντι ᾗ ὂν ἔστι τινὰ ἴδια (1004b15f.), "and thus even for beings insofar as they are beings, there are τινὰ ἴδια, determinate structures proper only to them." καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐστὶ περὶ ὧν τοῦ φιλοσόφου ἐπισκέψασθαι τὸ ἀληθές (b16f.), "and the truth (to translate roughly) of these characters of Being is what the philosopher must investigate"; i.e., put more strictly, he must see these characters in their uncoveredness.
Versus this task of philosophy and of philosophizing, how does the procedure of the dialecticians and the sophists appear?
b) Delimitation of dialectic and sophistry versus first
philosophy. The common object of dialectic, sophistry, and
philosophy: the "whole." How dialectic and sophistry are
distinct from philosophy: philosophy = γνωριστική
dialectic = πειραστική: sophistry = φαινομένη σοφία (εὗ
λέγειν).
οἱ γὰρ διαλεκτικοὶ καὶ σοφισταὶ τὸ αὐτὸ μὲν ὑποδύονται σχῆμα τῷ φιλοσόφῳ (1004b17f.), "the dialecticians and the sophists dress themselves (literally, immerse themselves) in the form of a philosopher." ἡ γὰρ σοφιστικὴ φαινομένη μόνον σοφία ἐστί (b18f.), (this shows that Aristotle knew very well that the science he is speaking of is σοφία) "sophistry φαινομένη μόνον, merely looks like philosophy," καὶ οἱ διαλεκτικοὶ διαλέγονται περὶ ἁπάντων (b19f.), "and the dialecticians make everything the theme of their discussions," i.e., they do not move within a definite region but claim to be able to speak and give answers about everything.