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Single Idea 9403

[filed under theme 4. Formal Logic / D. Modal Logic ML / 4. Alethic Modal Logic ]

Full Idea

Since to belong, to belong of necessity, and to be possible to belong are different, ..there will be different deductions for each; one deduction will be from necessary terms, one from terms which belong, and one from possible terms.

Gist of Idea

There are three different deductions for actual terms, necessary terms and possible terms

Source

Aristotle (Prior Analytics [c.328 BCE], 29b29-35)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Prior Analytics', ed/tr. Smith,Robin [Hackett 1989], p.13


A Reaction

Fitting and Mendelsohn cite this as the earliest thoughts on modal logic. but Kneale and Kneale say that Aristotle got into a muddle, and so was unable to create a workable system.


The 15 ideas from 'Prior Analytics'

Aristotle's said some Fs are G or some Fs are not G, forgetting that there might be no Fs [Bostock on Aristotle]
Aristotle was the first to use schematic letters in logic [Aristotle, by Potter]
Aristotelian syllogisms are three-part, subject-predicate, existentially committed, with laws of thought [Aristotle, by Hanna]
Aristotelian sentences are made up by one of four 'formative' connectors [Aristotle, by Engelbretsen]
Aristotelian identified 256 possible syllogisms, saying that 19 are valid [Aristotle, by Devlin]
Aristotle replaced Plato's noun-verb form with unions of pairs of terms by one of four 'copulae' [Aristotle, by Engelbretsen/Sayward]
Aristotle places terms at opposite ends, joined by a quantified copula [Aristotle, by Sommers]
Aristotle's logic is based on the subject/predicate distinction, which leads him to substances and properties [Aristotle, by Benardete,JA]
Aristotelian logic has two quantifiers of the subject ('all' and 'some') [Aristotle, by Devlin]
Linguistic terms form a hierarchy, with higher terms predicable of increasing numbers of things [Aristotle, by Engelbretsen]
Affirming/denying sentences are universal, particular, or indeterminate [Aristotle]
Deduction is when we suppose one thing, and another necessarily follows [Aristotle]
There are three different deductions for actual terms, necessary terms and possible terms [Aristotle]
A deduction is necessary if the major (but not the minor) premise is also necessary [Aristotle]
Aristotle listed nineteen valid syllogisms (though a few of them were wrong) [Aristotle, by Devlin]