Translating Claims into Standard Form Categorical Claims

Categorical claim says something about categories of things.

Standard forms:

A:  All ________ are _____________.

E:  No _________ are ____________.

I:  Some _________ are ___________.

O: Some __________are not ___________.

Blanks are "terms"  -- Claim shows the relationship between 2 terms
S = Subject term   P = Predicate term
Terms refer to "classes" --so only nouns and noun phrases work.
Example:  Dogs are fun = Dogs are fun animals.

Affirmative Claims -- Claims that include on class or part of one class within another
(A&I Claims)

Negative Claims -- Claims that  exclude one class or part of one class from another
(E&O Claims)
 

Translation into Standard Form

Trick is to take a claim and turn it into standard form ? equivalent claims = say same thing, true in exactly and all the same circumstances

Examples:
Every S is a P = All [S's] are [P's]

Under 18 not allowed = No [people under 18] are [people who are allowed in].

There were creatures weighing more than 4 tons that lived in North America =
Some [creatures that lived in NA] are [creatures that weighed more than 4 tons]

Only sophomores are eligible = All sophs are eligible or All eligibles are sophs???
Note : Very different. -- All sophs are students does not equal All students are sophs
So--what class are we talking about all of?   Eligibles  So All [eligibles] are [sophs]
Note:  "Only As are Bs" = All B's are A's  "Only"= predicate position of an A claim
 "The only" is different    This refers to subject term (not necessarily of an A claim)
"The only" goes in the subject position but does not have to be an A claim

 Examples:
Laurel is not the only idealistic person at the Peace and Justice Center =
Some [idealistic people at the PJC] are not [Laurel]

Only matinees are half-price= All [half-price shows] are [matinees]
Matinees are the only half-price shows = All [half-price shows] are [matinees]
 

Also notice things about times:
I always get nervous when I take exams = All [times I take logic exams] are [times I get nervous].   Whenever, every time, always = All times
Also notice things about places: He makes trouble wherever he goes = All [places he goes] are [places he makes trouble]. Wherever, everywhere, every place= All places

One more thing:
Claims about individuals, places, occasions are A-claims or E-claims
Aristotle is a philosopher = All [people identical with Aristotle] are [philosophers]
Aristotle is not alive = No [people identical with Ari] are[living people].
You can shorten these to All [Aristotle]Ö for convenience.