In philosophy and logic, the term proposition refers to either (a) the "content" or"meaning" of a meaningful declarative sentence or (b) the pattern of symbols, marks, or sounds that make up a meaningful declarative sentence. The meaning of a proposition includes having the quality or property of being either true or false, and as such propositions are claimed to be truthbearers.
The existence of propositions in sense (a) above, as well as the existence of "meanings," is disputed by some philosophers. Where the concept of a "meaning" is admitted, its nature is controversial. In earlier texts writers have not always made it sufficiently clear whether they are using the term proposition in sense of the words or the "meaning" expressed by the words. To avoid the controversies and ontological implications, the term sentence is often now used instead of proposition to refer to just those strings of symbols that are truthbearers, being either true or false under an interpretation. Strawson advocated the use of the term "statement," and some mathematicians have adopted this usage.
Read more about Proposition: Relation To The Mind, Treatment in Logic, Objections To Propositions, Related Concepts
Famous quotes containing the word proposition:
“A true proposition is a proposition belief which would never lead to such disappointment so long as the proposition is not understood otherwise than it was intended.”
—Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914)
“Truth exists. The sole purpose of this proposition is to assert the existence of truth against imbeciles and sceptics.”
—Edward Herbert Of Cherbury, Lord (1583–1648)
“All the universe over, there is but one thing, this old Two- Face, creator-creature, mind-matter, right-wrong, of which any proposition may be affirmed or denied.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)