At this point in the discussion, it is necessary to understand the four modes of perceiving entities, which were mentioned earlier in connection to the first principle. They are: a) substance; b) form enclothed in substance; c) abstract form; d) and essence. I shall first explain them by means of tangible illustrations from this world. For example, when you say that someone is strong, truthful, or deceitful, and the like, you have the following aspects before you: a) His substance, i.e., his body; b) his form enclothed in substance, that is, whether he is strong, truthful, or deceitful; c) the abstract form; that is, one can remove the form of a strong, truthful, or deceitful person from the substance of the man, and perceive these three forms in and of themselves, unclothed in any substance or body, which means perceiving the attributes of strength, truthfulness and deceitfulness, and detecting merit or shortcomings in them when they are denuded of all substance;14This refers to the generalizing of an attribute in isolation from a particular person or example.
A person can possess the "form" or attribute of honesty. One can also discuss the concept of honesty in isolation, in a general sense. d) the essence of the person.