Chapter 5 Flashcards
Class:
A group of objects.
Categorical proposition:
Relates two classes of objects.
Subject term:
The term that comes first in a standard-form categorical proposition.
Predicate term:
The term that comes second in a standard-form categorical proposition.
A-proposition:
Asserts that the entire subject class is included in the predicate class (“All S are P”). – this is a universal affirmative.
I-proposition:
Asserts that part of the subject class is included in the predicate class (“Some S are P”). – this is a particular affirmative.
E-proposition:
Asserts that the entire subject class is excluded from the predicate class (“No S are P”). – this is a universal negative.
O-proposition
Asserts that part of the subject class is excluded from the predicate class (“Some S are not P”). – this is a particular negative
Standard-from categorical proposition.
A proposition that has one of the following forms: “All S are P,” “Some S are P,” No S are P,” “Some S are not P.”
Categorical proposition:
A categorical proposition relates two classes of objects.
Universal Affirmative
All S are P.
An A-proposition affirming that every member of the subject class is a member of the predicate class.
Particular Affirmative
Some S are P.
An I-proposition affirming that at least one member of the subject class is a member of the predicate class.
Particular Negative
Some S are not P.
An O-proposition affirming that at least one member of the subject class is not a member of the predicate class.
Quantity:
‘universal’ and ‘particular’
Quality:
‘affirmative’ and ‘negative’
Quantifiers:
‘all’, ‘no’, and some’ – establish class inclusion and exclusion.
Copula:
‘are’ and ‘are not’ – links subject class to predicate class.
Distributed:
If a categorical proposition asserts something about every member of a class, then the term designating that class is said to be distributed.
Undistributed:
If a proposition does not assert something about every member of a class, then the term designating that class is said to be undistributed.
I- propositions: Some students are sophomores.
Both subject and predicate are undistributed; the proposition does not make an assertion about every student or every sophomore.
O-propositions: Some cars are not fuel-efficient vehicles.
Subject “cars” is undistributed; the proposition does not make an assertion about every car.
Predicate is distributed, since at least one member of “cars” is excluded from every member of “fuel-efficient vehicles.”
Existential import:
When a proposition presupposes the existence of certain kinds of objects.
Opposition:
Occurs when two standard-form categorical propositions refer to the same subject and predicate classes but differ in quality, quantity, or both.
Contradictories:
Pairs of propositions in which one is the negation of the other. A- and O-propositions are contradictories, as are E- and I-propositions.