SUPPOSITION &

DEFINATION OF TERMS

FINAL PERIOD
BY: ARNEL V. GRICO
OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

• Identify the difference between Supposition and Definition of
Terms.
• Determine the type of Supposition and Definition used in the
sentence.
• Apply the rules in using Supposition and Definition of terms in a
sentence.
 WHAT DOES SUPPOSITION MEANS?
• It comes from the Latin word sub, which means “under” and ponere, which means
“to put” or “to place”.
• A supposition is a term with a definition and a specific meaning within a proposition.
• It is a property of a term acquired from its use in the proposition. That is why it is
functional (the way it is meant in the sentence). Moreover, the meaning of the term
can be broader as it may stand for the significance of the word outside a proposition.
• It is classified under the division of Logic called Semantics, which is the science of
meaning of words. Semantic is contrasted with Phonetics, the science of sounds of
words ( Santiago 2002,25).
Example: 1. Chair has five letters . 2. Chair is an absolute concept.
3. Chair is a furniture. 4. A chair is used to block the pathway.
 CLASSIFICATION OF SUPPOSITION
A. Proper Supposition. A term is considered to be in proper supposition when its meaning stands
for the proper object in the real order. This can be either material or formal.
1. Material Supposition. A term is considered to be in a material supposition if it stands for
the term itself as either written or spoken without referring to its meaning.
Example: God is a three letter word. Angel is the name of my friend.
2. Formal Supposition. This stands for the real meaning of the term. It can be either logical
or real.
a. Logical Supposition. This refers to the term that stands for a mere concept.
Example: Man is a universal idea. Happiness is a concept.
b. Real Supposition. This stands for the thing itself .
Example: All men are mortal. Animals are bodily substances.
Horses are four-legged individuals.
 TYPES OF REAL SUPPOSITION
a. Absolute and Personal
A real supposition is absolute if it is used to refer to the whatness or
essence as such and not to something or someone that bears this
whatness or essence. For example, in the sentence “Man is rational”,
man refers not to anyone but to the essence of man as such.
Other examples:
Elephant is a mammal with long proboscis.
Chair is a furniture designed as a single seat.
Kindness is the highest virtue.
A real supposition is personal if it is used to refer not to the
whatness or essence as such but to something or someone that bears
this whatness or essence. In the sentence “The man is rational”, man
refers to someone who has the essence of “man”; hence, it is
personal.
Other examples:
The elephant I saw yesterday has a very long proboscis.
A chair is used to block the pathway.
These persons are innocent.
• It is very important to note that statements using terms
with absolute supposition do not assert the actual
existence of the terms’ signified objects. For example, the
sentence “Superman is a superhero” does not imply the
existence of Superman in reality. This is not true,
however, in statements using terms with personal
supposition. For example, the statement “Superman
saved Mary Jane” implies the existence of Superman in
the actual order.
B. ESSENTIAL AND ACCIDENTAL
A real supposition is essential if the term is predicated of essential
attributes, i.e., attributes that make a thing or a substance what it
is. In the sentence “Man is rational”, man has an essential
supposition because rational is an essential attribute that makes
man as man.
Other examples:
The elephant is a mammal with long proboscis.
Chair is a furniture
All men are mortals.
A real supposition is accidental is the term is predicated of
accidental attributes, i.e., attributes that do not make a thing or
substance what it is. In the sentence, “A man took his seat”, man
has an accidental supposition because taking a seat is not what
makes man as man.
Other examples:
Elephants can be used in circuses
The man has a dirty face.
Birds migrate from one continent to another.
B. Improper Supposition. A term is said to be in an improper supposition
if it stands for another thing other than what it suggests. It includes the use
of metaphor and figurative speech.
(Santiago,26).
Example:
1. The Department of Health advised the public to observe
Earth Day.
2. The Commission on Election declared that Mindanao is
under the state of calamity.