proposition

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Definitions (94)

Toggle American Heritage Dictionary definitions American Heritage Dictionary (8)

  1. noun A plan suggested for acceptance; a proposal.
  2. noun A matter to be dealt with; a task: Finding affordable housing can be a difficult proposition.
  3. noun An offer of a private bargain, especially a request for sexual relations.
  4. noun A subject for discussion or analysis.
  5. noun Logic A statement that affirms or denies something.
  6. noun Logic The meaning expressed in such a statement, as opposed to the way it is expressed.
  7. noun Mathematics A theorem.
  8. transitive verb To propose a private bargain to, especially to propose sexual relations with.

Toggle Century Dictionary definitions Century Dictionary (79)

  1. The act of placing or setting forth; the act of offering. The ample proposition that hope makes In all designs begun on earth below Fails in the promised largeness. Shak., T. and C., i. 3. 3. Gums fit for incense, and oblations for the altar of proposition. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 677.
  2. That which is proposed; that which is offered for consideration, acceptance, or adoption; a proposal; offer of terms: commonly in the plural: as, propositions of peace. The Governour and council of Plimouth returned answerable courteous acceptance of their loving propositions N. Morton, New England's Memorial, p. 133. The enemy sent propositions, such as upon delivery of a strong fortified town, after a handsome defence, are usually granted. Clarendon, Great Rebellion.
  3. A representation in thought or language of an act of the mind in thinking a quality or general sign, termed a predicate, to be applicable to something indicated, and termed a subject. This connecting of predicate and subject may range from a mental necessity to a mere impulse to look at a certain possibility. These differences are called differences in the mode, or modality, of the proposition, according to which, as ordinarily slated, propositions are either de inease (that is, the mode is not considered) or modal, and in this case problematical, contingent, or apodictic. The modality may properly be said to affect the copula, or form of junction of the predicate and subject. The predicate, logically speaking, embraces the whole representation of the quality of the fact. Thus, in the proposition “Elijah was caught up to heaven,” the grammatical predicate is “was caught up to heaven”; but the logical predicate includes the whole picture which the sentence conveys — that of a man caught up to heaven. The predicate, however, is not a mere picture; it views the fact represented analytically, and distinguishes certain objects as identical with the subjects. There may be only one subject, or, if the predicate expresses a relation, there may be several. These subjects cannot be sufficiently indicated by any general description, but only by a real junction with experience, as by a finger-pointing. In ordinary language they are for the most part but imperfectly expressed. In whatever way they are represented, they can commonly (in the last analysis always) be set forth in classes only; from such a class the subject meant is to be taken in one or other of three ways: first, by a suitable selection, so as to render the proposition true; secondly, by taking any one, no matter which; thirdly, by taking no matter what one among a selected proportion of those which present themselves in experience. The first mode of selection gives a particular proposition, as “An object can be selected which is a man caught up to heaven”; the second mode gives a universal proposition, as “Take any object you please in this world, and it is not a man caught up to heaven”; the third mode gives a statistical proposition, as “Half the human beings in the world are women.” If there are several subjects, the order of their selection is often important. Thus, it is one thing to say that having taken any man you please a woman can be found who was his mother, and quite another to say that a woman can be found such that, whatever man you select, that woman was that man's mother. Several of the distinctions between propositions found in the old treatises are based on distinctions between the different categories (or, in modern logical language, universes) from which the subjects are understood to be drawn. Such is the distinction between a categorical proposition, whose subject is denoted by a noun, and a hypothetical proposition, whose subject is a hypothetical state of things denoted by a sentence. Such is also the distinction between a synthetical proposition, whose subject is drawn from the world of real experience, and may suitably be denoted by a concrete noun, and an analytic proposition, whose subject is drawn from a world of ideas, and may suitably be denoted by an abstract noun. Propositions are further distinguished according to the forms of their predicates; but these distinctions, unlike those already noticed, merely concern the form under which the proposition happens to be thought or expressed, and do not concern its substance. The predicates of propositions are either simple, negative, or compound; and in the latter case they may conveniently be considered (by a slight fiction) as either disjunctive or conjunctive. A proposicion is a perfeicte sentence spoken by the indicative mode, signifiyng either a true thing or a false without al ambiguite or doubtfulnesse. Wilson, Rule of Reason. Verbal propositions, which are words, the signs of our ideas, put together or separated in affirmative or negative sentences. Locke, Human Understanding, IV. v. 5. All that is necessary to constitute a proposition is that it should imply inclusion or exclusion, attribution or non-attribution. Veitch, Int. to Descartes's Method, p. xxxv.
  4. In mathematics, a statement in terms of either a truth to be demonstrated or an operation to be performed. It is called a theorem when it is something to be proved, and a problem when it is an operation to be done. Abbreviated properly Ros. What said he? How looked he? Wherein went he? … Cel. It is as easy to count atomies as to resolve the propositions of a lover. Shak., As you Like it, iii. 2. 246.
  5. In rhetoric, that which is offered or affirmed as the subject of the discourse; anything stated or affirmed for discussion or illustration; the first part of a poem, in which the author states the subject or matter of it: as, Horace recommends modesty and simplicity in the proposition of a poem. It is very disproportionable for a man to persecute another certainly for a proposition that, if he were wise, he would know is not certain. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 376. Though that proposition had many degrees of truth in the beginning of the law, yet the case is now altered: God hath established its contradictory. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 806.
  6. In music: The act or process of enunciating or giving out a theme or subject.
  7. Specifically — The subject of a fugue, as distinguished from the answer.
  8. Absolute, adversative, affirmative, ampliative, analytical, apodictic, assertory, binary, categorical, causal, cognate proposition. See the adjectives.
  9. Composite proposition a proposition consisting of several propositions all asserted at once.
  10. Compound proposition a proposition consisting of two or more propositions, associated copulatively, disjunctively, conditionally, or otherwise.
  11. Comprehensive proposition a proposition in which the subject is regarded as a whole of logical comprehension including the predicate as a part.
  12. Conditional, conflictive, contradictory, contrary proposition. See the adjectives.
  13. Contrariety of propositions. See contrariety.
  14. Converted proposition, converting proposition. See convert.
  15. Copulative proposition a proposition consisting of parts united by a copulative conjunction; a composite proposition.
  16. Correlative proposition. See correlative.
  17. Cumulative proposition a proposition regarded as a compound of singular propositions, united conjunctively or disjunctively. Thus, “every man is mortal” is cumulative, as implying the first, the second, the third, etc., man to be, each of them, mortal.
  18. Descriptive proposition. See descriptive.
  19. Dialectic proposition. A probable interrogation; a problem suitable for discussion.
  20. Dialectic proposition. An assumption of what appears likely.
  21. Dilemmatic, discretive, disjunct, disjunctive, divided proposition. See the adjectives.
  22. Dual proposition. Same as binary proposition. See binary enunciation, under binary.
  23. Elementary, equal, exceptive, exclusive, exemplar, explicative, explicatory, explicit, exponent, exponible, extensive, false proposition. See the adjectives.
  24. Finite proposition a proposition whose predicate is not an infinitated term.
  25. Form of a proposition. See form.
  26. Fundamental, hypothetical, hypothetico-disjunctive, identical, incident proposition. See the adjectives.
  27. Impossible proposition a proposition which cannot be true.
  28. Indefinite proposition. See indefinite.
  29. Inflnite proposition a proposition whose predicate, affirmed of its subject, has the form of a negative: as, Every devil is non-human.
  30. Intensive proposition. See intensive.
  31. Inventive proposition a proposition de inesse.
  32. Loaves of proposition in Jewish antiquity, the showbread. Under this fair heauen … there was the holy table, vppon whiche was set the holy bread, called the loaves of proposition. Guevara, Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1577), p. 351.
  33. Local proposition. See local.
  34. Major proposition a major premise.
  35. Minor proposition a minor premise.
  36. Modal, necessary, negative proposition. See the adjectives.
  37. Numerically definite proposition a proposition which states how many objects, at least, there are of a given description.
  38. Obligistic proposition a proposition which has to be admitted in disputation owing to institution, petition, position, deposition, dubitation, or truth.
  39. Opposite propositions propositions having the same terms but not identical: as, Some woman is mother of some man; Some woman is mother of each man; Some woman is mother of every man; Every woman is mother of some man; All women are mothers of one man; Every woman is mother of every man.
  40. Particular, perfect, practical, principal, privative proposition. See the adjectives.
  41. Possible proposition. Same as problematic proposition.
  42. Predicative proposition. Same as categorical proposition.
  43. Probable proposition a proposition stating with more or less determinacy how often within a certain genus of events a certain specific event-would be found to occur, in a given range of experience.
  44. Problematic proposition a proposition asserting something to be possible in some sense.
  45. Proposition de inesse. See def. 3.
  46. Proposition de necessario a proposition thought to be necessary. Such propositions were divided by the old logicians into propositions de necessario conditionali, which stated something to be necessarily true, provided a certain condition held;
  47. Proposition de necessario propositions de necessario quando, which stated something to be necessarily true at specified times; and
  48. Proposition de necessario propositions de necessario simpliciter, or categorical apodictic propositions. The latter were further divided into propositions de necessario simpliciter pro nunc, or propositions stating something to be necessarily true now, and propositions de necessario simpliciter pro semper, stating something to be always necessarily true.
  49. Proposition de omni a universal proposition.
  50. Proposition in sensu composito a proposition in which the expression of the mode is attached to the subject or predicate. Such a proposition, as remarked by Scotus, is not, properly speaking, a modal but an ordinary proposition concerning possibility.
  51. Proposition in sensu diviso a proposition in which the expression of the mode is attached to the copula.
  52. Proposition per se a proposition which asserts something to be essentially true — that is, the universe is a universe of essences, not of existences. Four modes of such propositions are recognized by Aristotle: first, where the predicate is involved in the idea of the subject; second, where the subject is involved in the idea of the predicate; while the third and fourth modes are respectively modes of existing and of causing.
  53. Propositions of second adjacent, of third adjacent. See adjacent.
  54. Pure proposition a proposition not modal.
  55. Pythagorean proposition. See Pythagorean.
  56. Quantified proposition a proposition in which the manner of selecting the subject is fully expressed.
  57. Rational proposition a hypothetical proposition in which several categoricals are united by a causal conjunction.
  58. Reciprocating proposition one which asserts two terms to be coextensive: as, “Man” is identical with “rational animal.”
  59. Relative proposition a proposition whose predicate is a relative term.
  60. Remotive proposition. See remotive.
  61. Restrictive proposition a proposition with a restrictive clause: as, Christ, in his divine nature, is omnipresent.
  62. Simple proposition. Properly, a proposition whose predicate is simple: as, There is a man.
  63. Simple proposition. Usually, a categorical proposition, or one expressed by means of a noun and a verb, as contradistinguished from a conditional proposition.
  64. Singular proposition a proposition whose subjects are single individuals: as, Cain killed Abel.
  65. Spurious proposition a proposition one of the subjects of which is a character designated as one of those which belong to a given group. Thus, from the premises, Every European wants some character of Americans, and Every nobleman possesses some character other than those that are common to Americans, we can infer, first, that every European wants some character different from some character common to noblemen, and that every nobleman possesses a character different from some character wanting to every European. These are spurious propositions.
  66. Statistical proposition a proposition which states how many objects of one kind there are in connection with each one of another kind, in the average of a certain line of experience.
  67. Subaltern proposition a proposition asserting a part, and only a part, of what is asserted in another proposition.
  68. Subcontrary propositions propositions which have the same terms and may be true together but cannot be false together.
  69. Syllogistic proposition a proposition forming part of a syllogism.
  70. Synthetic proposition. See synthetic judgment, under synthetic.
  71. Temporal proposition a proposition consisting of two categoricals united by a temporal adverb.
  72. Ternal or
  73. trinary proposition a proposition of third adjacent.
  74. Theoretical proposition a proposition concerning the fact, not concerning what ought to be done.
  75. True proposition. See true.
  76. Universal proposition a proposition whose subject is any object whatever in the universe of discourse: as, Take any object you please, you will find it not a griffin. Every such proposition states the non-existence of something. If, in addition, it asserts the existence of something, it should be regarded as a composite proposition, partly universal and partly particular. But many logicians divide universal propositions into different species according as they do or do not assert the existence of their subjects. The result of this mode of treating the subject is a highly complicated doctrine.
  77. Unquantified Proposition an indefinite proposition. Synonyms Overture, etc. See proposal.
  78. 3 and Position, thesis, statement, declaration, dictum, doctrine. Proposition differs from the words compared under subject, in that it is the technical word in rhetoric for the indication of the theme of a discourse. The proposition is that part of a discourse by which its subject is defined. It includes, therefore, but is not restricted to, that which is termed proposition in the nomenclature of logic. It embraces all varieties of rhetorical form by which a subject is indicated to the audience. An interrogative may be in rhetorical dialect the proposition. A. Phelps, Theory of Preaching, xx. § 1.
  79. Something to be done, accomplished, etc.; especially, something difficult or puzzling. [Slang.] He could call a coyote or a fox, or even so fitful an' nervous a prop'sition as a antelope. A. H. Lewis, Wolfville Nights, vii.

Toggle GNU Webster's 1913 definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

  1. The act of setting or placing before; the act of offering.

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (6)

  1. a task to be dealt with
  2. (logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false
  3. the act of making a proposal
  4. an offer for a private bargain (especially a request for sexual favors)
  5. a proposal offered for acceptance or rejection
  6. suggest sex to

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