Categorical proposition (distribution of terms) Part-2|| UG&PG||UGC|| #delhiuniversity

Categorical propositions are statements that assert or deny something about the relationship between categories or classes of things. There are four standard forms of categorical propositions, which are commonly represented using letters to stand for the subject (S) and predicate (P) terms:

All S are P (A proposition)
No S are P (E proposition)
Some S are P (I proposition)
Some S are not P (O proposition)
The distribution of terms in categorical propositions refers to whether the term is distributed or undistributed in the proposition. A term is said to be distributed when it refers to all members of the class or category it represents, while it is said to be undistributed when it refers to some but not all members of the class or category.

In the A proposition ("All S are P"), the subject term (S) is distributed because it refers to all members of the class or category it represents, while the predicate term (P) is undistributed because it only refers to some members of the class or category it represents.

In the E proposition ("No S are P"), both the subject term (S) and the predicate term (P) are distributed because the proposition denies the possibility of any members of either category being included in the other.

In the I proposition ("Some S are P"), the subject term (S) is undistributed because the proposition only refers to some members of the class or category it represents, while the predicate term (P) is also undistributed because it only refers to some members of the class or category it represents.

In the O proposition ("Some S are not P"), the subject term (S) is undistributed because the proposition only refers to some members of the class or category it represents, while the predicate term (P) is distributed because it denies that some members of the class or category it represents are members of the other category.

BOOKS TO REFER REGARADING LOGIC:

OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL BOOKS TO READ: