.t116 LOGIC : OR, THE RIGHT USE OF REASON. meeting: no man living on earth can be completely happy. When there are ever so many ideas or termsin the sentence, yet if they are joined dad disjoined merely by one single affir- mation or negation, they are properly called but one proposition, though they may be resolved into several propositions which are implied therein, as will appear hereafter. In describing a proposition, I use the word terms as well as ideas, because when mere ideas are joined in the mind without words, it is rather called a judgment ; but when clothed with' words, it is called a proposition, even though it be in the mind only, as well as when it is expressed by speaking or writing. There are three things which go to the nature and consti- tution of a proposition, namely, the subject, the predicate, and the copula. The subject of a proposition is that concerning which any thing is affirmed or denied. So, Plato, angle, man living on earth, are the subjects of the foregoing propositions. The predicate is that which is affirmed or denied' of the Subject ; so philosopher is the predicate of the first proposition ; formed by two lines meeting, is the predicate of the second ; capable of being completely happy, the proper predicate of the third. The subject and predicate of a proposition taken together, are called the matter of it ; for these are the materials of which it is made. The copula is the form of a proposition ;, it represents the act of the mind affirming or denying, and it is expressed by the words, am, art, is, are, &c. or am not, art not, is not, are not, &c. It is not a thing of importance enough to create a dispute, 'whether the words, no, none,, not,, never, &c. which disjoin the idea or terms in a negative proposition, shall be called a part of the subject of the copula, or of the predicate. Sometimes per- haps they may seem most naturally to be included in one, and, sometimes in another of these, though a proposition is usually denominated affirmative or negative from its copula, as hereafter : Note 1. Where each of these parts of a proposition is not expressed distinctly in so many words, yet they are all under- stood, and implicitly contained therein; as Socrates. disputed, is a complete proposition, for it signifies Socrates was disputing.. So I die, signifies I am dying. I can write, that is, I am able to write. In Latin and Greek, one single word is many times a complete proposition. 2. These words, am, art, is, &c. when they are used alone without any other predicate, signifying both the act of the mind judging, which includes' the copula, and signify also actuäl ex- istence; which is the predicate of that proposition. So Rome is, signifies Route is existent; there are some strange monsters,
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