CONCEPTS AND

TERMS
Chapter 3 - A

Mr. J.D. Carreon,

RPm.
What is a concept?
 CONCEPT
A concept is a representation of an object
by the intellect through which man
comprehend a thing.
• It is a mental image of an object or an idea
about something (Alviar, 1995).
 ATTENTION
It is the mental act by which the mind
fixes its consideration upon one particular
object after having sensed it.

Example: A driver stops his car when he

sees that the red light is on.
 ABSTRACTION
It is a mental act by which the mind
studies the physical characteristics or the
individualizing notes of the particular object
with regard to its color, size, style, material,
then goes on to think of the purpose of
the object.

Example: When one goes to the mall to buy

a pair of shoes or a dress, the process of
abstraction is used.
 REFLEX MENTAL ACTIVITY
(REFLECTION)

It is a mental act of becoming aware of

itself, of its act or of its state so as to look at
these things objectively. Likewise, it is a mental
act of comparing the likeness and
differences between objects belonging to
different essences or classes.

Example: Leg of a woman and leg of the table

 COMPARISON
It is a mental act by which the mind
notices the likeness and differences in
the objects having the same essence or
belonging to the same class.

Example: Pedro and Puppie

 ANALYSIS
It is a mental act by which the mind
gives direct attention to the essentials or
the basic similarities of an idea.

Example: Man is living organism who is

reactive and rational.
 SYNTESIS
It is an act by which the mind puts
together two or more ideas to form a
single idea.

Example: Blue Water

 TYPES OF CONCEPTS
• It
is too easy for us to classify the different kinds of
concepts if we will carefully note the point of view
from each type, such as intention, the subject or form,
the substance, the accident, and the existence or
possession.
1. Based on intention
2. Based on subject and form
3. Based on substance and accident
4. Based on existence and possession
 1. BASED ON INTENTION
An intention is an act of the mind as a
representative of a thing.
A. FIRST INTENTION CONCEPT – This is a concept
by which we understand what a thing is
according to what it is in reality, regardless of
what we think about it.
Example: Man is a social being
Man is a rational being
Man is an embodied spirit
Man is a biological being
 1. BASED ON INTENTION
An intention is an act of the mind as a representative
of a thing.
B. SECOND INTENTION CONCEPT – This is a concept
by which we understand not only what a thing is in
reality but also how it is in our mind. After grasping
what a thing is according to its own proper being, we also
advert to the special mode of existence that the thing
has as it exists in the mind. Thus, we say, “Man exist as a
universal concept only as a result of being thought of.
Man is not a universal concept as he exists in the real
order, but only as he exists in the mind”.
•In classifying the subject term as a first or
second intention concept, it is best to ask:
“Does the predicate belong to the subject as it
exist or can exist in the real order, or only exist
in the mind?”
Example: Triangle is a shape.
Question: Does the predicate “shape” belong
to the subject “triangle” as it exist in the real
order or only exists in the mind?
Answer: It does in the real order, therefore, it
is in the first intension.
•In classifying the subject term as a first or second
intention concept, it is best to ask: “Does the
predicate belong to the subject as it exist or can
exist in the real order, or only exist in the mind?”
Example: Atman is a dog.
Question: Does the predicate “dog” belong to the
subject “atman” as it exist in the real order or only
exists in the mind?

Answer: It does NOT in the real order for ATMAN

is a SOUL. Therefore, it is in the second intension.
 2. BASED ON SUBJECT AND FORM
• Formis that which makes an object exist as it is. It is the
perfection or the attribute of the subject. It is also called
essence. On the other hand, a subject is that which has or
which is looked upon as having a perfection or attribute
embodied in itself.

Example: Form - Animality is the perfection that makes

an animal a real animal.
-Beauty makes a thing beautiful.
-Length express what it is that makes long
object long.
2. BASED ON SUBJECT AND FORM
•Form is that which makes an object exist as it is. It
is the perfection or the attribute of the subject. It is
also called essence. On the other hand, a subject
is that which has or which is looked upon as having
a perfection or attribute embodied in itself.

Example: Subject - Table has quiddity, i.e.,

table’ness
- White having white’ness
CONCRETE CONCEPT
•Itis a concept that expresses a form
and a subject.
Example: body, spirit, woman
ABSTRACT CONCEPT
•It
is a concept which expresses form
only

Example: Kindness, holiness, beauty,

simplicity
 3. BASED ON SUBTANCE AND
ACCIDENT
•Substance is that which exist in
itself without requiring another
being as a subject of its inherence.
•Accident is that which cannot exist
in itself but only as a perfection or
modification of the subject.
 ABSOLUTE CONCEPT
• It
signifies the meaning of a complete substance endowed
with its independent reality. An absolute concept is also
called an abstract concept when it signifies something to
the mind which shows the quality of an abstract noun.

Example: For independent realities For abstract

concept
- moon -------------------------------------lukewarm, calmness
- sun-----------------------------------------courage, brave
 CONNOTATIVE CONCEPT
•Itsignifies the object as an accident existing in the
substance. It represent the form without the subject.

Examples: All modifiers like the ones below are

called connotative concepts:

-Wise, pretty, young, long, good, and the

like.
 CONNOTATIVE CONCEPT
Nouns which are considered to be
incomplete substance or accidental
modifications are also classified as
connotative concepts.

Examples: Drivers, teachers, love,

carpenter, student, Peter
 4. BASED ON EXISTENCE AND
POSSESION
A. POSITIVE CONCEPT – It is signifies the existence
or possession of something.

EXAMPLE: Peace, beautiful, happy, love

B. NEGATIVE CONCEPT – It signifies the nonexistence

or non possession of something.
Example: War, nonbeautiful, unhappy, loveless
CONCEPTS AND
TERMS
Chapter 3 - B

Mr. J.D. Carreon,

RPm.
WHAT IS A TERM?
TERM
A term is an external sign of a
concept and the ultimate structural
elements of a proposition. It is a
conventional tool of expressing an
idea. A term is oral if it is uttered; it
is written if it is drafted.
 TYPES OF TERM
1.ACCORDING TO THE KINDS OF
CONCEPTS
First Intention and Second
Intention Terms
Abstract and Concrete Terms
Absolute and Connotative Terms
Positive and Negative Terms
2. AS AN ULTIMATE ELEMENT OF A PROPOSITION
A. SUBJECT – It is that which is being spoken in a proposition.
Example: Pampanga is next to Bulacan.

B. PREDICATE – It is that which speaks about the subject.

Example: Almost all outstanding employees are coming
from the College of nursing.
The subject term of the predicate term may also be
classified as:
1. Simple – when it is only a single word as in the term
“Pampanga.”
2. Complex – when it is group of words standing for one idea
as in the term “almost all outstanding employees.”
3. AS A SIGN OF A CONCEPT

Significant Term – It is a significant term when

it stands for the essence of something. In this
case, subjects, predicates, and nouns are all
significant terms.

Nonsignificant Term – It is nonsignificant term

when it does not stand for the essence of
something. In this case, demonstrative
pronouns, adjectives, and proper nouns are
nonsignificant terms.
4. AS TO THE RELATION OF TERM WITH ANOTHER TERM
A. Compatible terms – these are term that can co-exist or
simultaneously exist in a subject.
Examples: father-son; my mother- my best friend; farmer-
veterinarian
B. Incompatibility
Contradictory Terms – These terms are those wherein one
affirms what the other denies. One denies the connotation of the
other.
Examples: Life – lifeless; thing-nothing
Contrary Terms – These terms are those that represent the two
extremes among objects of a series belonging to the same class.
Example: hot-cold happy-miserable black-white
(temperature) (emotion) (Color)
B. Incompatibility
Private Terms – These terms are those wherein one
confirms a perfection and other denies a perfection in a
subject which naturally ought to possess it.
Examples: health – weakness wealth – poverty

Relative Terms – These terms are those wherein one

cannot be understood without the other. The
connotation of one implies the connotation of the other.
Examples: mother – child teacher – pupil
husband – wife
5. AS TO DEFINITENESS OF MEANING

UNIVOCAL TERMS – These are terms with different spelling

& sound but the same meaning or exactly the same meaning in
at least two occurrences.
Examples: Every monkey eats bananas. Banana is a
tropical fruit.
In the two examples, the term “banana” is used with exactly
the same meaning.

EQUIVOCAL TERMS – These are terms that have completely

different meanings in at least two occurrences or same spelling
& sound but different meaning.
Examples: Pen are used for writing. The pigs are in the
pens.
ANALOGOUS TERMS – These are terms have
partly the same and partly different meanings in
at least two occurrences.
Examples: Peter stands with one foot at the foot
of the mountain.
In this example, the term “foot” in the first
and second uses are analogous terms because
the “foot” of Peter is partly the same with the
“foot” of the mountain inasmuch as they serve as
the base on which they stand. They are also
partly different in as far as anatomy is concerned.
 Analogue/Analogates
It is important to make clear at this point that
the inferior (the term to which the analogous
terms applies) is called analogue or analogate. It
is classified into the following:
1. PRIMARY ANALOGUE/ ANALOGATES – If the
terms apply to them primarily and absolutely,
these are knows as primary analogue/analogates.
Examples: The bright light has blinded the man.
The primary meaning of the word “light” is
stimulus to sight; hence, it is a primary analogue.
 Analogue/Analogates
It is important to make clear at this point that the
inferior (the term to which the analogous terms
applies) is called analogue or analogate. It is classified
into the following:
2. SECONDARY ANALOGUE/ ANALOGATES – If the
terms apply to them secondary and relatively, these are
knows as secondary analogue/analogates.
Examples: You are the light of my heart.
Here, “light” means the splendor of love that makes
a person happy.
 INTRINSIC ANALOGY
It is also important to distinguish an intrinsic
analogy from and extrinsic analogy and an analogy of
proportionality from an analogy of attribution.
INTRINSIC ANALOGY – Analogous term intrinsic if
the concepts they signify is realized in all its analogous.
Example: An “animal” is an irrational, living, material
substance. It is found in all its analogous such as dogs,
cats, horses, and others. We call such creatures
“animals” because they are animals intrinsically and as
they are.
 EXTRINSIC ANALOGY
It is also important to distinguish an intrinsic analogy from
and extrinsic analogy and an analogy of proportionality from
an analogy of attribution.
EXTRINSIC ANALOGY – Analogous term extrinsic if the
concepts they signify are realized only in their primary
analogous. The secondary analogues are related only in
some other ways to the primary ones. Most common
instances are metaphorical expressions.
Example:We pass “bridal’s veil” along the scenic Kennon
road.
It is not really a bride’s veil, but a waterfall; it is also called
so because somehow its appearance reminds people of one.
Thank you for listening!