18 Jan y. 1816 +

Chrestom or Language

Ch. │ │ Content of Language

'. │ │ Simple Propositions

Subject

'.9. Of the subject of a proposition.

The name of the subject of a proposition is either a singularly designative or a plurally designative name: it is singularly designative when no more than one individual is meant to be designated: plurally, when individuals more than one.

A singularly designative name is either determinately or indeterminately designative: determinately, where the individual meant to be designated or distinguished from all others: as in the case of the proper name of a man, a field, a street, a town,[?] &c.; indefinite or indeterminate, when the import of the pronoun adjective some or any is considered as attached to it.

A plurally designative name is the name of an aggregate or number of individuals, considered as if collected together.

These individuals are either all determinate, all indeterminate, or some determinate, others indeterminate.

1. All determinate: for instance, the members of one official Board actually in existence.

2. All indeterminate: for instance, the intended members of an official board not in existence but in contemplation to be established.

3. Some determinate, some indeterminate.

Of this sort, are the names of all species and genera of things - of aggregate objects which have, have had, or will have, a real existence: For in and by every such specific or generic name are designated in the first place, all the individuals which are considered as being at the time in question endowed with the specific quality indicated by the name - in the next place, all that ever were.[?] In the last {place,[?] all[?] that[?]} ever will be: and by the supposition, these last neither have, nor ever have had, existence.