The logical rule that, as regards quantity, singular judgments, that is,
judgments which have a singular conception (_notio singularis_) for their
subject, are to be treated as _universal judgments_, depends upon the
circumstance that they are in fact universal judgments, which have merely
the peculiarity that their subject is a conception which can only be
supported by a single real object, and therefore only contains a single
real object under it; as when the conception is denoted by a proper name.
This, however, has really only to be considered when we proceed from the
abstract idea to the concrete or perceptible, thus seek to realise the
conceptions. In thinking itself, in operating with judgments, this makes
no difference, simply because between singular and universal conceptions
there is no logical difference. “Immanuel Kant” signifies logically,
“_all_ Immanuel Kant.” Accordingly the quantity of judgments is really
only of two kinds—universal and particular. An _individual idea_ cannot be
the subject of a judgment, because it is not an abstraction, it is not
something thought, but something perceived. Every conception, on the other
hand, is essentially universal, and every judgment must have a
_conception_ as its subject.
The difference between _particular judgments_ (_propositiones
particulares_) and _universal judgments_ often depends merely on the
external and contingent circumstance that the language has no word to
express by itself the part that is here to be separated from the general
conception which forms the subject of such a judgment. If there were such
a word many a particular judgment would be universal. For example, the
particular judgment, “Some trees bear gall-nuts,” becomes a universal
judgment, because for this part of the conception, “tree,” we have a
special word, “All oaks bear gall-nuts.” In the same way is the judgment,
“Some men are black,” related to the judgment, “All negroes are black.” Or
else this difference depends upon the fact that in the mind of him who
judges the conception which he makes the subject of the particular
judgment has not become clearly separated from the general conception as a
part of which he defines it; otherwise he could have expressed a universal
instead of a particular judgment. For example, instead of the judgment,
“Some ruminants have upper incisors,” this, “All unhorned ruminants have
upper incisors.”