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
We observe that by the Law of Duality the term not-B is thus described
*b* = A*b* ꖌ *ab*. (2)
For A in this proposition we substitute its description as given in
(1), obtaining
*b* = AB*b* ꖌ *ab*.
But according to the Law of Contradiction the term AB*b* must be
excluded from thought, or
AB*b* = 0.
Hence it results that *b* is either nothing at all, or it is *ab*; and
the conclusion is
*b* = *ab*.
As it will often be necessary to refer to a conclusion of this kind I
shall call it, as is usual, the *Contrapositive Proposition* of the
original. The reader need hardly be cautioned to observe that from all
A’s are B’s it does not follow that all not-A’s are not-B’s. For by the
Law of Duality we have
*a* = *a*B ꖌ *ab*,
and it will not be found possible to make any substitution in this by
our original premise A = AB. It still remains doubtful, therefore,
whether not-metal is element or not-element.
The proof of the Contrapositive Proposition given above is exactly the
same as that which Euclid applies in the case of geometrical notions.
De Morgan describes Euclid’s process as follows[75]:--“From every not-B
is not-A he produces Every A is B, thus: If it be possible, let this A
be not-B, but every not-B is not-A, therefore this A is not-A, which
is absurd: whence every A is B.” Now De Morgan thinks that this proof
is entirely needless, because common logic gives the inference without
the use of any geometrical reasoning. I conceive however that logic
gives the inference only by an indirect process. De Morgan claims “to
see identity in Every A is B and every not-B is not-A, by a process
of thought prior to syllogism.” Whether prior to syllogism or not, I
claim that it is not prior to the laws of thought and the process of
substitutive inference, by which it may be undoubtedly demonstrated.
[75] *Philosophical Magazine*, Dec. 1852; p. 437.
*Employment of the Contrapositive Proposition.*
We can frequently employ the contrapositive form of a proposition by
the method of substitution; and certain moods of the ancient syllogism,
which we have hitherto passed over, may thus be satisfactorily
comprehended in our system. Take for instance the following syllogism
in the mood Camestres:--
“Whales are not true fish; for they do not respire water,
whereas true fish do respire water.”
Let us take
A = whale
B = true fish
C = respiring water
The premises are of the forms
A = A*c* (1)
B = BC (2)
Now, by the process of contraposition we obtain from the second premise
*c* = *bc*
and we can substitute this expression for *c* in (1), obtaining
A = A*bc*
or “Whales are not true fish, not respiring water.”
The mood Cesare does not really differ from Camestres except in the
order of the premises, and it could be exhibited in an exactly similar
manner.
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