Any term that makes a claim about the entire class of Ss is said to be distributed. The concept of distribution applies to the terms in all categorical propositions -- A, E, I, and O. We need to learn the rules for telling whether a given term is distributed or undistributed.
Two warnings about distribution: 1. Unlike quality and quantity, distribution is not a feature of the proposition as a whole. It is a feature of its terms. 2. It is only when a term is used as the subject or the predicate of a proposition that it acquires a distribution, for only then is it being used to make a statement about all or some members of a given class. Comprehension Questions 1. What do universal propositions distribute? a) They distribute the subject. b) They distribute the predicate. 2. What do negative propositions distribute? a) They distribute the subject. b) They distribute the predicate. 3. In a universal affirmative proposition, the subject is a) distributed b) undistributed 4. In a universal affirmative proposition, the predicate is a) distributed b) undistributed 5. In a universal negative proposition, the subject is a) distributed b) undistributed 6. In a universal negative proposition, the predicate is a) distributed b) undistributed 7. In a particular affirmative proposition, the subject is a) distributed b) undistributed 8. In a particular affirmative proposition, the predicate is a) distributed b) undistributed 9. In a particular negative proposition, the subject is a) distributed b) undistributed 10. In a particular negative proposition, the predicate is a) distributed b) undistributed Immediate Inference
1. Unlike quality and quantity, distribution is not a feature of the proposition as a whole. It is a feature of its terms.
2. It is only when a term is used as the subject or the predicate of a proposition that it acquires a distribution, for only then is it being used to make a statement about all or some members of a given class.