穆勒的系词观

John Mill's Point of View of the Copula

穆勒的系词观可以概括为如下四个方面:(1)系词是与主词和谓词相并列的、命题的第三构成元素,是表示肯定或否定的"指号"、联结主词和谓词的"标记";(2)系词具有双重意义,除作为"指号"或"标记"外,还可以表示"存在",但在命题中系词并不必然意指"存在";(3)在"A is not B"这种形式的命题中,"not"是系词"is not"的一部分,不是谓词的一部分;(4)就命题的模态而言,"过去"、"现在"和"将来"隶属于系词,而"可能"、"必然"和"偶然"不隶属于系词。总的来看,穆勒的系词观是一种典型的"第三元素的系词"观,不同于弗雷格、拉姆塞的"第二元素的系词"观。

John Mill＇ s point of view of the copula can be summarized into the following four aspects. First, the copula, which is on the same level with the subject and the predicate, is the third element of a proposition, and is the sign denoting an affirmation or denial, or the mark connecting the subject and the predicate. Second, the copula has a double meaning, namely, besides it is used as the sign or mark, it signifies the existence. But in a proposi- tion, the copula doesn＇ t necessarily signify the existence. Third, in such a form of propositions as A is not B, the negative word not is a part of the copula is not, not one of the predicate B. Fourth, for the modality of a proposition, past, present and future belong to the copula, but possible, necessary and contigent don＇ t. In general, John Mill＇ s point of view of the copula is a typical one of the copula as the third element, which is different from Froge＇ s and Ramsey＇ s that of the copula as the second element.