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Oppositional Inference

This document discusses oppositional inference and the square of opposition. It defines four kinds of oppositional propositions: contradictories, contraries, sub-contraries, and subalterns. It also provides rules for each kind, such as contradictories cannot both be true or false, while contraries cannot both be true but one being false leaves the other doubtful.

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328 views4 pages

Oppositional Inference

This document discusses oppositional inference and the square of opposition. It defines four kinds of oppositional propositions: contradictories, contraries, sub-contraries, and subalterns. It also provides rules for each kind, such as contradictories cannot both be true or false, while contraries cannot both be true but one being false leaves the other doubtful.

Uploaded by

lorraine_cua
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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OPPOSITIONAL INFERENCE

Opposite or opposed propositions are propositions that cannot be simultaneously true or that cannot be simultaneously false or that cannot be either simultaneously true or simultaneously false. Opposed propositions have the same subject and predicate but differ from one another in quality or quantity or both quality and quantity.

Square of Opposition
(a visual aid to understanding and remembering the various kinds of opposition and their laws)

Kinds of Oppositional Inference


Contradictories: propositions that differ both in quantity and quality (A & O; E & I) Contraries: propositions having the same subject and predicate but different quality (A & E) Sub-contraries: propositions having the same subject and predicate but different quality (I & O) Subalterns: propositions having the same subject, predicate and quality but different quantity (A & I; E & O)

Rules of Opposition
1) 2) Contradictories If one is true, the other is false. If one is false, the other is true.

1) 2)
1) 2) 1) 2)

Contraries If one is true, the other is false. If one is false, the other is doubtful.
Subcontraries If one is true, the other is doubtful. If one is false, the other is true. Subalterns If the universal is true, the particular is true; but if the universal is false, the particular is doubtful. If the particular is true, the universal is doubtful; but if the particular is false, the universal is false.

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