论直言命题的存在含义——对一个老问题的系统思考

On the Existential Import of Categorical Proposition--A Systematic Thinking about an Old Problem

词项逻辑有一个实质性假定:即直言命题的主项和谓项只能指涉由实存个体组成的一个非空非全的类。但它同时又试图发展成为一个纯形式的理论,该实质性假定不参加其具体的推理过程,由此导致一些奇怪的结果:如每一步都正确的一个推理过程,其最终结果却违反了它的推理规则。解决的办法就是去掉该实质性假定,像现代逻辑一样纯形式地发展其理论。

Syllogistic logic developed by Aristotle has a substantial presumption, that is, a categorical proposition has an existential import, its subject and predicate has to refer a non-universal and non-empty class. But at the same time it also tries to develop its theory completely formally, disregarding of its substantial presumption. It follows thus that some serious results happen in it. The solution of this contradiction is to get rid of that substantial presumption and develop its theory completely formally, just like modern logic. 