The principles of science : $b a treatise on logic and scientific methodJevons, William Stanley
Philosophy
The principles of science : $b a treatise on logic and scientific method
Jevons, William Stanley
Logic; Science -- Methodology
It need hardly be pointed out that we must not infer of a collective
whole what we know only of the parts, nor of the parts what we know
only of the whole. The relation of whole and part is not one of
identity, and does not allow of substitution. There may nevertheless be
qualities which are true alike of the whole and of its parts. A number
of organ-pipes tuned in unison produce an aggregate of sound which
is of exactly the same pitch as each separate sound. In the case of
substantial terms, certain qualities may be present equally in each
minutest part as in the whole. The chemical nature of the largest mass
of pure carbonate of lime is the same as the nature of the smallest
particle. In the case of abstract terms, again, we cannot draw a
distinction between whole and part; what is true of redness in any case
is always true of redness, so far as it is merely red.
*Synthesis of Terms.*
We continually combine simple terms together so as to form new terms
of more complex meaning. Thus, to increase the intension of meaning of
a term we write it with an adjective or a phrase of adjectival nature.
By joining “brittle” to “metal,” we obtain a combined term, “brittle
metal,” which denotes a certain portion of the metals, namely, such as
are selected on account of possessing the quality of *brittleness*.
As we have already seen, “brittle metal” possesses less extension and
greater intension than metal. Nouns, prepositional phrases, participial
phrases and subordinate propositions may also be added to terms so as
to increase their intension and decrease their extension.
In our symbolic language we need some mode of indicating this junction
of terms, and the most convenient device will be the juxtaposition of
the letter-terms. Thus if A mean brittle, and B mean metal, then AB
will mean brittle metal. Nor need there be any limit to the number of
letters thus joined together, or the complexity of the notions which
they may represent.
Thus if we take the letters
P = metal,
Q = white,
R = monovalent,
S = of specific gravity 10·5,
T = melting above 1000° C.,
V = good conductor of heat and electricity,
then we can form a combined term PQRSTV, which will denote “a white
monovalent metal, of specific gravity 10·5, melting above 1000° C., and
a good conductor of heat and electricity.”
There are many grammatical usages concerning the junction of words and
phrases to which we need pay no attention in logic. We can never say
in ordinary language “of wood table,” meaning “table of wood;” but we
may consider “of wood” as logically an exact equivalent of “wooden”; so
that if
X = of wood,
Y = table,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account