Changes

The current [[meanings]] arose from the [[equation]] of medieval Latin suppositio to [[Greek]] ὑπόθεσιςhypothesis n., of which it is the etymological equivalent. In older Latin suppositio is recorded only in the senses of ‘placing under’ and ‘substitution’

The current [[meanings]] arose from the [[equation]] of medieval Latin suppositio to [[Greek]] ὑπόθεσιςhypothesis n., of which it is the etymological equivalent. In older Latin suppositio is recorded only in the senses of ‘placing under’ and ‘substitution’

*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_century 15th Century]

==Definitions==

==Definitions==

*1: Something held to be true and taken as the basis of an [[argument]].  

*1: Something held to be true and taken as the basis of an [[argument]].  

'''Supposition''' was a [[semantic]] [[relation]] between a term and what it is being used to talk about. So, for example, in the suggestion ''Drink another cup'' the term cup is suppositing for the wine contained in the cup. The [[logical]] suppositum of a term was the object the term referred to, (in [[grammar]] suppositum was used in a different way). However, supposition was a [[different]] [[semantic]] [[relationship]] than [[signification]]. Signification was a conventional [[relationship]] between utterances and objects mediated by the particularities of a [[language]]. Poculum signifies in [[Latin]], what cup signifies in [[English]]. [[Signification]] is the imposition of a [[meaning]] on an utterance, but supposition is taking a meaningful term as standing in for something. According to Peter of Spain "Hence [[signification]] is prior to ''supposition''. Neither do they belong to the same thing. For to signify belongs to an utterance, but to supposit belongs to a term already, as it were, put [[together]] out of an utterance and a signification." An easy way to see the [[difference]] is in our drink another cup example. Here cup as an utterance [[signifies]] a cup as an object, but cup as a term of the [[language]] [[English]] is being used to supposit for the wine contained in the cup.

'''Supposition''' was a [[semantic]] [[relation]] between a term and what it is being used to talk about. So, for example, in the suggestion ''Drink another cup'' the term cup is suppositing for the wine contained in the cup. The [[logical]] suppositum of a term was the object the term referred to, (in [[grammar]] suppositum was used in a different way). However, supposition was a [[different]] [[semantic]] [[relationship]] than [[signification]]. Signification was a conventional [[relationship]] between utterances and objects mediated by the particularities of a [[language]]. Poculum signifies in [[Latin]], what cup signifies in [[English]]. [[Signification]] is the imposition of a [[meaning]] on an utterance, but supposition is taking a meaningful term as standing in for something. According to Peter of Spain "Hence [[signification]] is prior to ''supposition''. Neither do they belong to the same thing. For to signify belongs to an utterance, but to supposit belongs to a term already, as it were, put [[together]] out of an utterance and a signification." An easy way to see the [[difference]] is in our drink another cup example. Here cup as an utterance [[signifies]] a cup as an object, but cup as a term of the [[language]] [[English]] is being used to supposit for the wine contained in the cup.

Medieval logicians divided supposition into many [[different]] kinds, and the [[jargon]]s for the different kinds, and their [[relations]] and what they all mean get [[complex]], and differ greatly from logician to logician. [http://pvspade.com/Logic/ Paul Spade's webpage] has a series of helpful diagrams here. The most important division is probably between material, simple, personal, and improper supposition. A term supposits materially, when it is used to stand in for an utterance or inscription, rather than for what is [[signifies]]. When I say Cup is a monosyllabic [[word]], I am using the word cup to supposit materially for the utterance cup rather than for a piece of pottery. Material supposition is a medieval way of doing the [[work]] we would do today by using quotation marks. According to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ockham Ockham] (Summa of Logic I64, 8) "Simple supposition occurs when a term supposits for an [[intention]] of the [[soul]], but is not take significatively." The [[idea]] is that simple signification happens when the term is standing in for a [[human]] [[concept]] rather than for the object itself. If I say Cups are an important type of pottery the term cups is not standing in for any particular cup, but for the [[idea]] of a cup in the [[human]] [[mind]] (according to Ockham, and many medieval logicians. Personal supposition in [[contrast]] is when the term supposits for what is [[signifies]]. If I say Pass me the cup the term cup is standing in for the object that is called a cup in [[English]], so it is in personal supposition. A term is in improper supposition, if it is suppositing for an object, but a different object than it signifies, as in my example Drink another cup.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supposition]

Medieval logicians divided supposition into many [[different]] kinds, and the [[jargon]]s for the different kinds, and their [[relations]] and what they all mean get [[complex]], and differ greatly from logician to logician. [https://pvspade.com/Logic/ Paul Spade's webpage] has a series of helpful diagrams here. The most important division is probably between material, simple, personal, and improper supposition. A term supposits materially, when it is used to stand in for an utterance or inscription, rather than for what is [[signifies]]. When I say Cup is a monosyllabic [[word]], I am using the word cup to supposit materially for the utterance cup rather than for a piece of pottery. Material supposition is a medieval way of doing the [[work]] we would do today by using quotation marks. According to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Ockham Ockham] (Summa of Logic I64, 8) "Simple supposition occurs when a term supposits for an [[intention]] of the [[soul]], but is not take significatively." The [[idea]] is that simple signification happens when the term is standing in for a [[human]] [[concept]] rather than for the object itself. If I say Cups are an important type of pottery the term cups is not standing in for any particular cup, but for the [[idea]] of a cup in the [[human]] [[mind]] (according to Ockham, and many medieval logicians. Personal supposition in [[contrast]] is when the term supposits for what is [[signifies]]. If I say Pass me the cup the term cup is standing in for the object that is called a cup in [[English]], so it is in personal supposition. A term is in improper supposition, if it is suppositing for an object, but a different object than it signifies, as in my example Drink another cup.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supposition]

[[Category: Logic]]

[[Category: Logic]]