TERMS AND PROPOSITIONS

WHAT IS A TERM?

 Any word or arrangement of words that can serve as the subject of a statement
 Examples:
1. Philosophy is the love of wisdom
2. Man is a rational human being
3. Hesiod argues that man is more powerful than the gods
4. Man is both an En Soi and Por Soi
5. Metaphysics is the study of all being
6. Philein means love
7. SSCRDC is my institution
8. I love to think
9. Covid 19 is destructive.
10. Frontliners are our new heroes.

NB: All the underlined words are the subjects of the given statements. As such, they are
considered at the same time, the terms of the statements.

Intension of Terms

 Refers to the general properties of a word or a given term

 The qualities possessed in common by all objects that the term covers
 Description of the term
 Examples:

TERM INTENSION
1. TREE Woody, has long main stem, has a big
trunk, leafy
2. Man Rational, has body and soul, can
communicate, has will
3. Ship Vehicle for conveyance on water, big,
floats on water
4. Triangle Has three angles, has three sides
5. Clothes Made out of cotton, comfortable

Extension of Terms

 indicates its range of applicability by naming particular and specific objects it denotes
 examples:

Term Extension
1) Tree Apple Tree, Mango Tree, Orange Tree
 2) Man St. Augustine, Jose, Maria, Lapu-Lapu,
Vin Diesel, Lebron James
3) Ship Battleship, cargo ship
4) Clothes Mossimo, Bench, Penshoppe, Regatta,
Novo, Bluecorner, Giordano, Nike
5) Malls Ayala Mall, MOA, Robinsons, Megamall

NB: AS THE INTENSION INCREASES, THE EXTENSION DECREASES

AS THE INTENSION DECREASES, THE EXTENSION INCREASES

EXAMPLE: FINDING LEBRON JAMES

INTENSION EXTENSION
BASKETBALL PLAYER CURRY, HARDEN, DAVIS, JAMES
LAKERS BASKETBALL PLAYER DAVIS, JAMES
A LAKERS’ BASKETBALL PLAYER JAMES
WHO WEARS THE JERSEY NO. 23

EXAMPLE: LOGIC

INTENSION EXTENSION
SUBJECT MATH, SCIENCE, METAPHYSICS,
ENGLISH AND LOGIC
SUBJECT, BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY METAPHYSICS AND LOGIC
SUBJECT, BRANCH OF PHILOSOPHY, LOGIC
THE SCIENCE AND ART OF CORRECT
THINKING

EXAMPLE: GRAPES

INTENSION EXTENSION
FRUIT TAMARIND, BANANA, POMELO,
GRAPES
FRUIT, SWEET BANANA, GRAPES
FRUIT, SWEET, ROUND GRAPES

QUANTITIES AND QUALITIES OF TERMS

QUANTITIES OF TERMS

 We can use terms either singularly, collectively, universally or particularly

1. Singular Term – is used to refer to an individual only, either directly or indirectly

- a direct way of referring to an individual is to use proper names

Examples: Mr. Sanchez, Cavite, Baguio City, Penshoppe, Apple

- An indirect way of referring to an individual is to use demonstrative

pronouns

Examples: This lady, that pencil, these cats, those men

2. Collective Terms – is used to refer to a concept which represents a class of things, but the
term does not apply to the individuals in that class. It usually refers to the entire class as a
whole. Therefore, a collective term may be included under what has been said about singular
terms.

Examples: family, herd, flock, school (fish), colony

3. Universal Terms – is used to express a universal concept. It can be applied to individuals

within a class, and to the class itself. Some words that’s signify the use of universal terms
are: the universal quantifiers such as all, every each, none and no one.

Examples: All boys, every students, no man

4. Particular Terms – is used to refer to an indefinite part of a universal concept. Some

words that signify the use of particular terms are: indefinite pronouns, numbers and the
articles “a” and “an”.

Indefinite pronouns: some, most, many, not all

Numbers: one, four, three

Examples: Some girls, most Filipinos, many health practitioners, not all doctors

Exercise:

Please state whether the following terms are either singular, collective, universal or
particular

1. Cavite 6. Senate
2. a bangus 7. Every Barangay
3. PBA 8. some PNP men
4. some students 9. flock
5. patis 10. fourteen hearts
 Qualities of Terms

a) Affirmative : All men, some men, pencil, ball

b) Negative: No men, not all women, none

PROPOSITIONS

ALL PROPOSITIONS ARE SENTENCES BUT NOT ALL SENTENCES ARE

PROPOSITIONS

PROPOSITION – DECLARATIVE SENTENCE

- Must Contain a judgment

- the rest of the kinds of sentences are mere sentences: interrogative,

imperative and exclamatory

Declarative Sentence : I am a man (PROPOSITION)

Interrogative Sentence: Who are you? (sentence)

Imperative Sentence: Please read your lessons. (sentence)

Exclamatory: Yes! Ouch! Wow! (sentence)

EXERCISE: Determine whether the following statements are propositions or mere sentences

1. The proposition is true or false.

2. The President of the Philippines is a man.
3. Come with me to see the play.
4. Hand in your test paper.
5. Aristotle is a philosopher.
6. Nobody is in the classroom.
7. Jose Rizal is a national hero
8. Horses have three legs.
9. Answer when you are asked to.
10. Great!