Rigorous Reasoning

Concept · Foundations

Existential Import

The question of whether a proposition, especially a universal one, carries the claim that its subject class has at least one member.

Why it matters

Traditional and modern logic disagree about existential import, and the disagreement affects which square-of-opposition inferences are valid.

Where this shows up

Units and lessons using this concept

Following the links will take you to the page where this term is introduced in context.

Related

Other concepts in Foundations

A, E, I, O PropositionsAccessibility RelationArgumentAtomic StatementAuthorial IntentBase RateBayes FactorBurden of Proof in InterpretationCalibrationCardinalityCartesian ProductCategorical Proposition