SIMPLE APPREHENSION
Formation of Idea or Concept
• 1. Perception – the process by which we make use of our material sense organ (sense of sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch) to form a sense perception in our brain center.
Product: Phantasm – the formed object of the memory and imagination
Formation of Idea or Concept
• 2. Abstraction – the mental process by which we draw or grasp the universal and essential characteristics
• Product: Idea or Concept – the intellectual representation of things of the same kind
• Term- sensible, conventional sign, expressive of an idea
Properties of a Term
• Comprehension – sum total of all elements expressive of an idea (also called implication or connotation)
• Extension – sum total of all individuals and group of classes to which an idea can be applied (denotation)
• *the greater comprehension, the lesser extension• *the lesser comprehension, the greater extension
Comprehension and Extension
ComprehensionRational, sentient, living, material substanceSentient, living, material substanceLiving, material substanceMaterial substanceSubstance
Dominican, Catholic, Private UniversityCatholic, Private universityPrivate UniversityUniversity
ExtensionMan Animals, ManPlants, Animals, ManMinerals, Plants, Animals, ManSpirits, Minerals, Plants, Animals, Man
USTUST, La Salle, Ateneo, etc.UST, La Salle, Ateneo, Siliman, etc.UST, La Salle, Ateneo, Siliman, UP, etc.
Classification of Terms
• 1. According to Extension1.1. SINGULAR – when applied to one single object or
subject1.1.1 Proper Noun – Maria Clara, Ana Hulaton1.1.2 Superlatives – First Place, most beautiful1.1.3 Demonstratives – This class, That wall1.1.4 modified by article “the” – the pale moon, the
man1.1.5 personal pronoun – I, you, he, she, it, they, we
Classification of Terms
• 1.2 PARTICULAR – when the term represents a part or portion of the whole
• 1.2.1 Indefinite Pronouns – Some children, Several men, few, many, most
• 1.2.2 Use of numbers – Nine planets, Seven dwarfs, 12 apostles
• 1.2.3 article “a” or “an” – an employee, a logic student
Classification of Terms
• 1.3 UNIVERSAL – when the term represents the whole
• 1.3.1 Universal Expressions – All, Every, whichever, whatever, No one, none etc.
• 1.3.2 Universal Idea – Man is a rational animal., Apple is a fruit bearing tree.
• 1.3.3 “a”, “an” or “the” if the idea is universal- The lion is a carnivorous animal. A moment of truth is a moment of freedom.
Classification of Terms
• 2. According to Definition • 2.1. First Intention – understanding of a term
according to reality. • God is a Supreme being. All women belong to the female
specie. Ghosts are spirits
• Second Intention – understanding of a term according to particular situations.
• That man is a womanizer. Perfumes are the products of his company. A movie is sometimes boring.
Classification of Terms
• 3. According to Comprehension• 3.1 Concrete – one that presents to the mind a
form as inherent in a subject (woman, book, priest, musician, dog, bag)
• 3.2 Abstract – one that presents to the mind a form as separated from its subject (goodness, rationality, beauty, freedom, tableness, sweetness)
Classification of Terms
• 4. According Quality• 4.1 Positive – signifies what a being possesses
(alive, beautiful, wise, tall, sunny, happy)
• 4.2 Negative – signifies the non-existence or non-possession of something (blind, dirty, irrational, dark, dead, foolish)
Classification of Terms
• 5. According to the manner of meaning• 5.1 Univocal /homologous – if a term signifies one and
single meaning • 3 Instances of univocity
1. when the term has no other possible meaning other than itself (Proton, Electron, NaCl2, classical physics)
2. if the term used is defined(Man is a rational being composed of body and soul.A king is the head of state in a monarchical form of
government.)
Classification of Terms
• 3. When the terms used are taken to signify one meaning in at least two instances
Water is heavier than air. The air is fresh.A book is a useful tool for education. It would be
good to read a book once in a while.
Classification of Terms
• 5.2 Equivocal – if the term expresses two or more totally unrelated and different meanings
• 3 instances of Equivocity 1. Equivocal in pronunciation only
sun-son, flair-flair, pail-pale2. Equivocal in writing only
bow (of an arrow) –bow (inclination)live (life) – live (actual)
3. Equivocal in writing and pronunciationbark (of a tree)- bark (of a dog)pen (for writing)- pen (cage)
Classification of Terms
• 5.3 Analogous – if a term expresses similarly dissimilar meaning
• Analogy by attribution – if a term can be applied to different things because of an intrinsic relation
Good- life, job, health, day, man, bookHealthy- body, food, exercise, athletes
• Analogy by proportion – if a term can be applied to different things because of some resemblance
Head- of a body, of the familyfoot- of a body, of mountainmountain- mass of land, mountain of paper/work
Classification of Terms
• 6. According to Relation• Contradictory – terms expressing opposition to one
another living – non-living, white- non-white, male-non-male
• Contrary – terms expressing extremes among objects of a series
black – white, large – small, rich-poor• Privative – two ideas, one of which signifies perfection
and the other denies the perfectionsight-blindness, sanity-insanity, light-darkness
Classification of Terms
• Correlative – two incompatible ideas that bear mutual relationship with one another in such a way that one cannot be understood without the other.
husband-wife, ruler – subject, master-servant, mother-child, bride-groom
Classification of Terms
• 7. According to Meaning• 7.1 Absolute Terms- terms that signify a
concept of the meaning of a complete substance endowed with its independent reality.
• 7.2 Connotative Terms – terms that signify a concept as an existing accident in a substance.
Supposition of Terms
• Supposition – sub (under) + ponere (to put or to place)
-the precise meaning that a term bears in a sentence
-the meaning of a term in a proposition
Classification of Supposition
• A. Proper Supposition – stands for the proper object in the real order.
• 1. Material Supposition – stands for the term itself as either written or spoken.
Curtain is a seven letter word.To run is a verb.Lion is a two syllable
Classification of Supposition
• 2. Formal Supposition – stand for a concept or a universal
• 2.a. Logical – stands for a mere conceptMan is a specie.Man is a universal idea.Corruption was the topic of the
seminar.
Classification of Supposition
• 2.b. Real Supposition – stands for the thing itself
All men are mortal.All men are bodily substances.All men are two legged individuals.
Classification of Supposition
• B. Improper Supposition- stands for another term that it suggests. (metaphorical or figurative)
Lion is the national emblem of Great Britain.
The Board of Directors adjourned the meeting at 5pm.
Definition
• Definition – definire – “to set the limits” - is a process of simplifying the meaning
of the word at hand through the use of other signs or words
- a statement which explains what a thing is
Importance of Definition
1. It increases vocabulary2. It eliminates ambiguity3. It clarifies meaning 4. It explains theoretically5. It facilitates argumentation
Elements of a Definition
• 1. Definiendum – refers to the thing or expression to be defined
• 2. Definiens- refers to the defining expression
Philosophy came from two Greek words philos and sophia.
Rules of a Good Definition
• The definition must be clearer than the things defined
• The definition must not contain the idea or term to be defined
• It must not be circular• The definition must be convertible with the idea
defined • The definition should whenever possible be
expressed in positive terms
Types of Definition
• 1. Nominal Definition – expresses what a name means not what the thing is.
• Etymological Definition – definition derived from the meaning of the original word or words from which the definiendum is defined.
Types of Definition
• Synonymous Definition – gives the same connotation of the term
• Definition by Description • Definition by Example• Definition by Illustration• Ostensive – definition by simple identification
Types of Definition
• 2. Real Definition – definition that explains the essential properties of the object represented by the definiendum
• Essential Definition – definition by genus and specific difference
Types of Definition
• Definition by genus – that which makes a thing similar to others
• Definition by specific difference – that which makes a thing different from the others
A square is a polygon with four equal sides.
Types of Definition