Singular term

Singular term

There is no really adequate definition of "singular term". Here are some definitions proposed by different writers:

# A term that tells us which individual is being talked about. (John Stuart Mill, Arthur Prior, P. F. Strawson) [Strawson 1950, Prior 1976, Mill 1908]
# A term that is grammatically singular, i.e. a proper name ("proprium nomen"), a demonstrative pronoun ("pronomen demonstrativum") or a demonstrative pronoun with a common name ("cum termino communi"). (William of Ockham) [Ockham, "loc. cit."]
# A term that is inherently "about" the object to which it applies or refers. (Gottlob Frege) [Frege 1892]
# A term that is true "in the same sense" of only one object. (Peter of Spain) [ Hispanus 1947]

References

Works cited

*Frege, G. (1892) "On Sense and Reference", originally published as " Über Sinn und Bedeutung" in "Zeitschrift für Philosophie und philosophische Kritik", vol. 100, pp. 25-50. Transl. Geach & Black 56-78.
*Mill, J.S., "A System of Logic", London 1908 (8th edition).
*Petrus Hispanus, "Summulae Logicales", ed. I. M. Bochenski (Turin, 1947) – also quoted in Prior 1976
*Prior, A.N. "The Doctrine of Propositions & Terms" London 1976
*Strawson, P.F. "On Referring", "Mind" 1950 pp. 320-44.
*William of Ockham, " Summa logicae" Paris 1448, Bologna 1498, Venice 1508, Oxford 1675


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  • Singular term — Singular Sin gu*lar (s[i^][ng] g[ u]*l[ e]r), a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See {Single}, a.] 1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] And God forbid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • Singular — Sin gu*lar (s[i^][ng] g[ u]*l[ e]r), a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See {Single}, a.] 1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] And God forbid that all a …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Singular point in a curve — Singular Sin gu*lar (s[i^][ng] g[ u]*l[ e]r), a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See {Single}, a.] 1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] And God forbid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Singular proposition — Singular Sin gu*lar (s[i^][ng] g[ u]*l[ e]r), a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See {Single}, a.] 1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] And God forbid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Singular succession — Singular Sin gu*lar (s[i^][ng] g[ u]*l[ e]r), a. [OE. singuler, F. singulier, fr. L. singularius, singularis, fr. singulus single. See {Single}, a.] 1. Separate or apart from others; single; distinct. [Obs.] Bacon. [1913 Webster] And God forbid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Term logic — In philosophy, term logic, also known as traditional logic, is a loose name for the way of doing logic that began with Aristotle, and that was dominant until the advent of modern predicate logic in the late nineteenth century.This entry is an… …   Wikipedia

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  • singular — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English singuler, from Anglo French, from Latin singularis, from singulus only one more at single Date: 14th century 1. a. of or relating to a separate person or thing ; individual b. of, relating to, or being a… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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