categorematic
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Capable of standing as the subject or predicate of a proposition: In logic and philosophy of language, a categorematic term is one that has independent meaning and can function as the subject or (more specifically) the predicate in a logical statement. It contrasts with "syncategorematic" terms, which cannot stand alone and only modify or connect other terms.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- Words like "dog" and "runs" are categorematic; they can be the subject or predicate of a sentence.
- In the proposition "Socrates is mortal," both "Socrates" and "mortal" are categorematic terms.
- Logical analysis often distinguishes between categorematic and syncategorematic words, such as "and" or "not."
Advanced Usage
- Logical Context: The distinction is primarily used in formal logic, semantics, and medieval philosophy to analyze the structure of propositions.
- Medieval logicians extensively studied the properties of categorematic signs.
- Contrast with Syncategorematic: Often defined in opposition.
- "All" is syncategorematic, while "men" in "all men" is categorematic.
Variants and Related Words
- Categorem (n, rare): A categorematic term or expression.
- Syncategorematic (adj): (Of a word) having meaning only in conjunction with other words, e.g., prepositions, logical operators.
Synonyms
- Autosemantic: (In semantics) Having meaning in itself.
- Substantive: (In a broad logical sense) Capable of being a subject.
Antonyms
- Syncategorematic: Not capable of standing alone as a subject or predicate.
Adjective
- of a term or phrase capable of standing as the subject or (especially) the predicate of a proposition