REPRESENTATION OF PROPOSITIONS OF RELATION.
Let us take, first, the Proposition “Some x are y”.
This, we know, is equivalent to the Proposition of Existence “Some xy exist”. Hence it may be represented by the expression “xy1”.
The Converse Proposition “Some y are x” may of course be represented by the same expression, viz. “xy1”.
Similarly we may represent the three similar Pairs of Converse Propositions, viz.—
“Some x are y′” = “Some y′ are x”,
“Some x′ are y” = “Some y are x′”,
“Some x′ are y′” = “Some y′ are x′”.
Let us take, next, the Proposition “No x are y”.
This, we know, is equivalent to the Proposition of Existence “No xy exist”. Hence it may be represented by the expression “xy0”.
The Converse Proposition “No y are x” may of course be represented by the same expression, viz. “xy0”.
Similarly we may represent the three similar Pairs of Converse Propositions, viz.—
“No x are y′” = “No y′ are x”,
“No x′ are y” = “No y are x′”,
“No x′ are y′” = “No y′ are x′”.
Let us take, next, the Proposition “All x are y”.
Now it is evident that the Double Proposition of Existence “Some x exist and no xy′ exist” tells us that some x-Things exist, but that none of them have the Attribute y′: that is, it tells us that all of them have the Attribute y: that is, it tells us that “All x are y”.
Also it is evident that the expression “x1 † xy′0” represents this Double Proposition.
Hence it also represents the Proposition “All x are y”.
[The Reader will perhaps be puzzled by the statement that the Proposition “All x are y” is equivalent to the Double Proposition “Some x exist and no xy′ exist,” remembering that it was stated, at p. 33, to be equivalent to the Double Proposition “Some x are y and no x are y′” (i.e. “Some xy exist and no xy′ exist”). The explanation is that the Proposition “Some xy exist” contains superfluous information. “Some x exist” is enough for our purpose.]
This expression may be written in a shorter form, viz. “x1y′0”, since each Subscript takes effect back to the beginning of the expression.
Similarly we may represent the seven similar Propositions “All x are y′”, “All x′ are y”, “All x′ are y′”, “All y are x”, “All y are x′”, “All y′ are x”, and “All y′ are x′”.
[The Reader should make out all these for himself.]
It will be convenient to remember that, in translating a Proposition, beginning with “All”, from abstract form into subscript form, or vice versâ, the Predicate changes sign (that is, changes from positive to negative, or else from negative to positive).
[Thus, the Proposition “All y are x′” becomes “y1x0”, where the Predicate changes from x′ to x.
Again, the expression “x′1y′0” becomes “All x′ are y”, where the Predicate changes for y′ to y.]