| 释义 |
categorical, a. (n.)|kætɪˈgɒrɪkəl|
[f. as prec. + -al1.]
A. adj.
1. Logic. Of a proposition: Asserting absolutely or positively; not involving a condition or hypothesis; unqualified. categorical syllogism: one consisting of categorical propositions.
1598Florio Categorico, categoricall, predicable. 1616Bullokar, Categoricall Axiome. 1638Featly Transub. 88 Of our simple categoricall proposition, there can bee but one true sense. 1724Watts Logic (1736) 301 Most [conjunctive Syllogisms] may be transformed into categorical Syllogisms. 1827Whateley Logic in Encycl. Metrop. (1845) 206/1 The division of Propositions according to their substance; viz. into categorical and hypothetical. 1837–8Sir W. Hamilton Logic xvi. (1866) I. 294 As used originally by Aristotle, the term categorical meant merely affirmative, and was opposed to negative. By Theophrastus it was employed in the sense of absolute,..opposed to conditional; and in this signification it has continued to be employed by all subsequent logicians.
b. gen. Of a statement (or him who makes it): Direct, explicit, express, unconditional.
a1619M. Fotherby Atheom. i. ix. §1 (1622) 59 A simple and categoricall denying of it. 1657Cromwell Sp. 3 Apr., You do necessitate my answer to be categorical. 1696Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) IV. 83 On condition he give his categorical answer by the 18th instant. 1778F. Burney Diary, etc. (1842) I. 116, I could never persuade her to be categorical. 1866Motley Dutch Rep. v. i. 668 The ratification of the Ghent treaty..was in no wise distinct and categorical, but was made dependent on a crowd of deceitful subterfuges.
c. categorical imperative: in the ethics of Kant, the absolute unconditional command of the moral law, a law given by the pure reason, and binding universally on every rational will.
1827Hare Guesses Ser. ii. (1873) 337 [Kant] spun a new [system of ethics]..out of his categorical imperative. 1856Dove Logic Chr. Faith ii. §2. 117 The categorical imperative of conscience. 1871Farrar Witn. Hist. iv. 161 ‘The Categorical imperative’ (Duty, Conscience, Thou must).
2. Logic. Of or belonging to the categories.
1817Coleridge Biog. Lit. 66 [It] will apply..to all the other eleven categorical forms.
B. n. A categorical proposition or syllogism.
1619W. Sclater Expos. 1 Thess. (1630) 439 Reduce thy Hypothesis to a Categoricall; thus lies thy Proposition. 1827Whateley Logic ii. iv. §2 (L.) A hypothetical proposition is defined to be two or more categoricals united by a copula. 1837–8Sir W. Hamilton Logic xvi. (1866) I. 303 The proximate canons by which Deductive Categoricals are regulated.
Hence cateˈgoricalness.
1672Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 58 To find out the reason of his own Categoricalness. Ibid. i. 192 The word of Mr. Bayes's that he has made notorious is categoricalness. |