JUDGMENTS &

PROPOSITIONS
The Hypothetical Propositions
The Supposition
 is a mental structure that has the subject-copula-
predicate form but is not asserted to represent a
reality
 it is a merely possible judgment
 after a supposition has been construed in the mind,
 it may be judged to be true in a sense of representing a
fact or reality
 or to be false in the sense of not corresponding to
reality
The Hypothetical Proposition
1. comprises two or more suppositions dependent
(conditioned) on each other in regard to their truth
of falsity
2. through the unifying conjunctions (if, either-or,
not-both-and), serving as a copula, the proposition
expresses a judgment concerning the truth of one
or all of these suppositions
3. the three kinds of hypotheticals are the;
disjunctive, conjunctive, and conditional
propositions
The Disjunctive Propositions
 the disjunctive (either-or) proposition asserts the
truth of an undetermined one (or of at least) of the
two or more suppositions called alternatives
 if none of the stated alternatives is true, the
proposition is false
The Disjunctive Propositions
 The expression of
alternatives takes the form of;
 complete suppositions
 contracted form of alternative
subjects having the same
predicate
 of alternative predicates
having the same subject
 A special case of the
contracted disjunctive is the
divisive proposition, which
states a logical division
Examples:
 Either this labor dispute is
settled by arbitration, or a
strike is unavoidable.
 Either the Republicans or the
Democrats will win this
election.
 He must either register or
forfeit the right to vote.
 Simultaneous quantities are
either lines, surfaces, or
solids
The Disjunctive Propositions
 The enumeration of Examples:
alternatives;  The strikers will either
 either all the possible win or lose or accept a
alternatives must be compromise.
mentioned,  This man is either a
 or all the possible
communist or a fellow
alternatives except
those which are traveler with
definitely known to be communists.
non-actual
The Disjunctive Propositions
 Exclusive or inexclusive Examples:
alternatives  Either some fertilizer
 they are exclusive when
is applied, or no good
only one is or can be true
crop can be obtained.
 they are inexclusive
when at least one,  This student of high

possibly more than one scholastic standing is

is true either very talented or
 they are called improper
disjunctives and are rarely
very diligent.
used
The Disjunctive Propositions
 The purpose of a disjunctive proposition is to
express two or more hypotheses (suppositions)
within which the truth must lie.
 Upon the evidence obtained through investigation,
we substitute for the usual (proper) disjunctive
proposition with exclusive alternatives a
categorical statement of the true alternative
The Conjunctive Proposition
 asserts that its two suppositions or alternatives
cannot be or not true at the same time in the sense
of representing simultaneous realities
 if the two suppositions can be true at the same time,
the proposition is false
 the suppositions are commonly contracted into;
 one statement of two subjects having the same
predicate, or
 a statement of two predicates having the same subject
The Conjunctive Proposition
Examples:
 He cannot be both a senator and a member of the President’s

Cabinet.
 Full moon and an eclipse of the sun cannot simultaneously

occur.
 He is not both a physician and a chiropractor.

 That a person habitually tell lies, and that he should not thereby

destroy confidence in his statements, is impossible.

False conjunctive:
 You cannot be deeply interested in worldly affairs and strive to

be a saint.
The Conditional Proposition
 the conditional (if) proposition comprises two
suppositions called the antecedent (condition, protasis)
and the consequent (apodosis)
 asserts that the truth of the antecedent implies the truth
of the consequent
 when the truth of the antecedent does not involve the
truth of the consequent, the proposition is false
 the mood of the verbs used in the contrary-to-fact
conditional shows that the possibilities referred to are
known to be unrealized
The Conditional Proposition
Examples:
 If the barometer falls, atmospheric pressure is decreasing.

 If an immigrant is not a citizen, he is not entitled to vote.

 If God is holy, He hates sin.

 If it does not rain, the game will be played.

Contrary-to-fact conditional:
 If this earth were a paradise, all men would be happy.

False conditional:
 If Plato is an Athenian, he is a philosopher.
The Conditional Proposition
 since in a true conditional the truth of the antecedent
involves the truth of the consequent, we conclude in the
conditional syllogism from the known truth of the former
to the truth of the latter

Example:
If the barometer is falls, atmospheric pressure is
decreasing.
The barometer is falling.
Therefore atmospheric pressure is decreasing.
The Conditional Proposition
Two types of antecedents or conditions:
1. A dispensable (sine qua) antecedent is one of several
conditions from the truth of which the truth of the
consequent can be inferred.
 If he studies logic, he trains his mind.
 If he studies natural science, he trains his mind.
 If he studies mathematics, he trains his mind.
2. An indispensable (sine qua non) antecedent is the only
condition from the truth of which the truth of the
consequent can be inferred.
 If this triangle is equilateral, it is equiangular.
 Conversion of One Type to Another Type of
Proposition

 as a rule a given judgment is most naturally expressed in only one

of the four forms of proposition: categorical, disjunctive,
conjunctive, conditional
 some judgments, however, may be stated equally well, or nearly as

well, in all four types.

Example:
Categorical: An equilateral triangle is equiangular.
Disjunctive: A triangle is either equilateral, or else it is not
equiangular.
Conjunctive: A triangle cannot be equilateral and not be equiangular.
Conditional: If a triangle is equilateral, it is equiangular.