 as for their saying if it were assumed that there were no rational beings or that they were negligent possibility would not be nonexistent we say if it were assumed that there were no rational beings would the universal propositions which are the genera and species be nonexistent? if they say yes since they have no meaning except as a proposition in the minds then so is our saying about possibility and there is no difference between the two chapters. if they claim that they remain in gods knowledge then so is the saying about possibility. so the obligation is real and the aim is to show the contradiction in their words.
وأما قولهم لو قدر عدم العقلاء أو غفلتهم ما كان الإمكان ينعدم، فنقول ولو قدر عدمهم هل كانت القضايا الكلية وهي الأجناس والأنواع تنعدم؟ فإذا قالوا نعم، إذ لا معنى لها إلا قضية في العقول، فكذلك قولنا في الإمكان، ولا فرق بين البابين. وإن زعموا أنها تكون باقية في علم الله فكذى القول في الإمكان. فالإلزام واقع والمقصود إظهار تناقض كلامهم.