Single Idea 13502

[catalogued under 4. Formal Logic / C. Predicate Calculus PC / 2. Tools of Predicate Calculus / e. Existential quantifier ∃]

Full Idea

When a quantifier is attached to a variable, as in '∃(y)....', then it should be read as 'There exists an individual, call it y, such that....'. One should not read it as 'There exists a y such that...', which would attach predicate to quantifier.

Gist of Idea

∃y... is read as 'There exists an individual, call it y, such that...', and not 'There exists a y such that...'

Source

William D. Hart (The Evolution of Logic [2010], 4)

Book Reference

Hart,W.D.: 'The Evolution of Logic' [CUP 2010], p.96


A Reaction

The point is to make clear that in classical logic the predicates attach to the objects, and not to some formal component like a quantifier.