Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-11-09
SCHOOL COLUMN.
Observation-Disclosures of Content and
Of Extent-Mediate Judgment-De-
ductive Reasoning -The Entity
meme and Syllogism-In-
ductive Reasoning.
BY c. Il cHAse.l
JUDGMENT.

JUDGMENT.
The processes before considered in
the formation of the concept or notion
are alike in one respect-that they are
processes of Judging. We cannot pred
icate an attribute without Judging. An
unknown object is presented for the
first time to the senses and we say it is
yellow, green or some other color. The
color we have before seen as an attri-
butte of some other object, and we Judge
this attribute the same that we have
before seen. 1t is the same with all
other qualities or attributes. Every
act of the mind in forming concept
involves an act of Judgment. a con-
cept is contracted judgment, and a
Judgment is an expanded concept.
judgments employed in the formation
of concept are primary or psychologist
cal judgments; while those judgments
which affirm or deny concepts are
termed secondary or logical judgments:
such expressions as, ''Orange is yellow,
this orange is yellow. some oranges are
yellow, all oranges are yellow, it rains,
clouds rain. etc, are forms of second.
airy or logical judgments and are vari-
ously classified by different logicians,
the details of which classification of
judgments it will not be necessary to
enter here. Two classes of judgments,
however. it will be useful to consider,
those Of content and those of extent.
JUDGMENTS OF CONTENT
are in the nature Of definitions. For
example, we say, MAN is the creature
highest in scale of intelligence" and
we have here a judgment of content.
We limit the term man-tiX its bounds
to certain portion Of intelligent, Gre
ated beings. Thus, all definitions are
judgments of content. The test of
good defiDitiOn is that it shall express
the whole content; and this may be de-
termined by converting the terms.
Thus if we say, The creature highest
in the scale of intelligence is man,
it is equally true as the other form.
But if we say, MAN is a two.legged
being" we cannot convert the terms
and state a truth. For to say, "A
two-legged being Is man would be
equally applicable TO fowl or an ape.
The importance of exact definitions
cannot be over-es;imated; for it is often
the case that great controversies hinge
on the definition of word.
JUDGMENTS OF EXTENT
imply classification. In general def
milton bounds or limits by attributes,
while judgments OF extent express class
relations, as genus TO class, species to
genus, and variety to species. To say
man is an animal, is judgment of ex-
tent. 1t ailirms man 10 be species
under the genus or class animal. An
other form of the judgment of exteHt
which still involves division and CLASH
fication may be eXemplfied IN the fol-
lowing: white men are Japhetites,
Semites and Hamtes;" that is, the con-
cept white men has extent such as to
include these three great branches of
the human race. Both these forms of
judgment are of great importance
in scientific work; the one in making
accurate and exact definitions, and the
other in logical classification. DR..
Porter says: Science when viewed in
the light of our analysis is simply
knowledge by concepts carefully de-
iindS in order to complete division
and methodized arrangement of the
things or objects to which these con-
cepts are applicable. Science
began when it formed the first prop
osition of content. This involved
a proposition of extent. 1t will have
finished its course and completed the
circle OF its possible triumphs. when it
shall have exhausted all that is know
able by these two processes each in
volving the other-when it shall have
arranged in systematic order every
thing which can be known, by complete
and subordinated divisions as the result
OF true and exhaustive denifitions.n
MEDIATE JUDGMENT.
Deductive reasoning is a comparison
of two judgments and judgment of
agreement or disagreement. 1t is also,
a passing by mediate judgments from
generals to particulars; while induc-