more from Fred Sommers

Single Idea 18894

[catalogued under 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 7. Predicates in Logic]

Full Idea

We organise our concepts of predicability on a hierarchical tree. At the top are terms like 'interesting', 'exists', 'talked about', which are predicable of anything. At the bottom are names, and in between are predicables of some things and not others.

Gist of Idea

Predicates form a hierarchy, from the most general, down to names at the bottom

Source

Fred Sommers (Intellectual Autobiography [2005], 'Category')

Book Reference

'The Old New Logic', ed/tr. Oderberg,David S. [MIT 2005], p.3


A Reaction

The heirarchy seem be arranged simply by the scope of the predicate. 'Tallest' is predicable of anything in principle, but only of a few things in practice. Is 'John Doe' a name? What is 'cosmic' predicable of? Challenging!