1 CIÌA.PTPtt II. 41i We pröeeed now to the second sort of compound proposi- tions, natnely, such whose composition is not expressed, but latent er conçealed ; yet a small attention will find two propositions included in them. Such are these that follow : I. Exclusives ; as, the pious man alone is happy, it is only Sir Isaac Neiston could find out true philosophy. 2. Excep- tives; as, none of the ancients but Plato well defended the soul's immortality: The Protestants worship but one God. 3. Corm; iaratives as, pain is the greatest Afiliëtion. No Turk was fiercer than the Spaniards at Mexico. Here note, that the comparative degree does not always imply the positive; as if they say, a fool is better than a knare, this does not affirm that folly is good, but that it is a less evil than knavery. 4. Inceptives and deci< Jives, which relate to the beginning or ending of any thing ; as the Latin tongue is not yet forgotten. No than before Orpheus Wrote Greek verse. Peter Czar of Muscovy began to civilize his nation. To these may be added continuatives ; as, Rome remains to this day, which includes at least two propositions, namely, Rome was, and Rome is. Here let other authors spend time and pains in giving the precise definitions in all these sorts of propositions, which may be as well understood by their names and examples : here let them tell what their truth depends upon, and how they are to be opposed or contradicted ; but a moderate share of common sense, with a review of what is said of the former compounds, will suf- fice for all these purposes, without the formality of rules. SECT. VII. Of true and false Propositions. PROPOSITIONS are next to be considered according to their sense or signification, and thus they are distributed into true and false. A true proposition represents things as they are hi themselves but if things are represented otherwise than they are in themselves, the proposition is false. Or we may describe them more particularly thus : a true proposition joins those ideas and terms together whose objecte are joined and agree, or it disjoins those ideas and terms whose objects disagree, or are disjoined ; as, every bird has wings: a brute is not immortal. A false proposition joins those ideas or terms whose objects disagree, or it disjoins those whose'objects agree; as, birds have no wings, brutes are immortal. Note, It is impossible that the same proposition should be both true and false at the saine time, in the same sense, and in the same respect; because a proposition is but the representation of the agreement or disagreement of things ; now it is impos- sible that the.saine thing should be and not be, or that the same thing should agree and not agree) at the same time, and in the same respect. This is a first principle of human knowledge. M, ,7 ,.II;ËJ áil.l 7;
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