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TERM - This must be defined from two points of view: from the point of view of its be ing a sign

of a concept and from the point of view of its being the ultimate str uctural element into which a proposition is resolved - Term sometimes signifies the oral term, sometimes the oral term, and sometimes the written term, depending on the context - From the point of view of its being a sign of a concept, the oral term is defi ned as an articulate sound that serves as a conventional or arbitrary sign of a concept. Terms are signs of thought and things signs, that is, of concepts (or m ental terms), mental propositions, and mental argumentation as well as of the th ings that are set before the mind by thought. Ex. The dog is wagging his tail. We do not mean that the word dog is wagging its tail, but that an animal whose nat ure is signified; by dog is wagging its tail. Hence, it is clearly not the mere wo rd dog but what the word dog stands for that is the true subject of this proposition . - From the point of view of the term s being the ultimate structural element into which a proposition and argumentation can be resolved, the term is defined as a word or group of words that can serve as the subject or predicate of a propositi on. Ex. A dog is an animal. The words dog and animal are terms, dog is the subject and animal is the predicate.

- A term is simple if it consists of a single word - A term is complex if it consists of a group of words that signify one thing or kind of thing when they are taken together as a unit. - Most terms signify the quiddity, essence, or nature of the thing or things the y stand for; they express what a thing is, or more precisely, what kind of thing a thing is. Terms that signify quiddities are called significant terms. - Significant terms signify concepts directly and immediately. Since concepts ar e metal representations of things, significant terms also signify things but onl y indirectly and through the intermediacy of concepts. - Nonsignificant terms on the other hand merely point out things without signify ing their quiddities or natures. Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives (this, th at, those) are of this sort. Ex. This is what I ll buy. The sentence does not express the nature of the thing the person intends to buy but merely pointing it out. - Proper names are likewise nonsignificant terms, since they, too merely indicat e, or point out an individual person or thing without expressing its nature. - The quiddity signified by a term can also be considered by directing our atten tion to the intelligible elements, that is, to its definition and properties, in volved in it. In doing this, we are considering the COMPREHENSION of the term an d the concept it signifies, like thinking of a triangle as a plane figure bounde d by three straight lines. On the other hand, we can consider the subjects whose

quiddity is signified by the term as when we think of a triangle as being equil ateral, isosceles or scalene. If we do this, we are considering its EXTENSION. - The comprehension of a term (or concept) is the sum total of the intelligible elements of the quiddity signified by the term. These intelligible elements are referred to as notes. This sum total includes the basic elements that a thing ha to have in order to be thought of as the kind of thing signified by the term; i t includes, in the second place, whatever is deducible from these basic elements . It includes nothing, however, that a thing does not have to have in order to b e kind of thing signified by the term. - The extension of a term includes the subjects signified by the term. Extension is either absolute or functional, depending on whether the term is considered i n itself and outside of discourse as a part of a proposition - The absolute extension of a term and concept is the sum total of the subjects of the actual subjects as well as the possible subjects whose quiddity is signif ied by the term and concept. The subjects whose quiddity is signified by a term are called inferiors. In relation to them, the term itself id called a superior. man, brute, dog, and so on, are inferiors of the superior animal. - The functional extension of a term or concept includes only those subjects tha t it actually sets before the mind when it is used in discourse. In this sense, the extension of a term and concept is said to be universal, particular, or sing ular. It is universal if it sets before the mind each of the subject whose natur e it signifies; for instance, every dog and each man. It is particular if it sets be fore the mind an indeterminately designated portion of its total possible extens ion, as do some men and a few animals. It is singular if it sets before the mind one definitely designated individual or group, as do this man, that team, and the talles t man in the room.

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