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Definition:
A proposition is a declarative statement which asserts some matter of fact. They can also
be called assertions or assertoric statements. Here are some examples of propsitions:
Shakespeare wrote the play Hamlet.
The Civil War was caused by disagreements over slavery.
Paris is the capital of France
All of the above make some claims which are asserted as factual. Because they can have some truth-value, which means they can either be true or false, they are propositions. Here are some examples of things which are not propositions:
What time is it?
Get out of my house!
Oh, my aching back!
Three cheers for the USA!
None of the above are propositions because none of them can be said to have any truth value. This can be tested in that it makes sense to ask "Is it true that 'Shakespeare wrote the play Hamlet?" but it does not make any sense to say "Is it true that 'Get out of my house'?"
One important debate in the field of ethics is over whether or not moral judgements can be treated as propositions:
Prostitution is immoral.
The above is making a moral claim - but is it a proposition? See ethics for more.
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Related Resources:
What is the Logic and the Philosophy of Language?
The two fields Logic and the Philosophy of Language are often treated separately, but they are nevertheless close enough that they are presented together here. Logic is the study of methods of reasoning and argumentation, both proper and improper. The Philosophy of Language, on the other hand, involves the study of how our language interacts with our thinking.What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
