Contraries If one looks in a general dictionary one will not a find a definition of contrary that is philosophically useful.i I looked the word up in a philosophical dictionary but that was not satisfied with the provided definition: A pair of categorical propositions which (provided that we assume existential import) cannot both be true, but can both be false. In the traditional square of opposition, an A proposition and its corresponding E are contraries. Thus, for example:
Contraries and contradictories
Contraries and contradictories
Contraries and contradictories
Contraries If one looks in a general dictionary one will not a find a definition of contrary that is philosophically useful.i I looked the word up in a philosophical dictionary but that was not satisfied with the provided definition: A pair of categorical propositions which (provided that we assume existential import) cannot both be true, but can both be false. In the traditional square of opposition, an A proposition and its corresponding E are contraries. Thus, for example: