Open Presupposed Proposition

Overview

An open presupposed proposition is a statement whose truth is assumed by the speaker or writer, without being directly asserted. This assumption is often implicit and relies on shared background knowledge or context. It functions as a foundation upon which further claims are built.

Key Concepts

The core idea revolves around assumed truths. These propositions are not up for debate within the immediate context but are taken for granted. They often relate to:

• Existing states of affairs
• Common knowledge
• Previous statements or agreements

Deep Dive

Linguistically, open presuppositions are often marked by specific grammatical structures or lexical choices. For instance, using a definite description like “the king of France” presupposes that there is a king of France. The truthfulness of the presupposition is crucial for the utterance to be meaningful, though not necessarily assertively true.

Applications

These propositions are common in:

• Rhetoric and persuasion: To subtly guide the audience’s beliefs.
• Legal arguments: Establishing foundational facts.
• Everyday conversation: Efficiently conveying information.

Challenges & Misconceptions

A common challenge is distinguishing between an open presupposition and an explicit assertion. Misidentifying them can lead to logical fallacies or misunderstandings about what is being claimed versus what is being taken for granted.

FAQs

Q: How is it different from an assertion?
A: An assertion is directly stated and can be true or false. A presupposition is assumed true for the statement to function.

Q: Can presuppositions be false?
A: Yes, if the presupposed proposition is false, the statement may be infelicitous or meaningless, but the presupposition itself is not the primary claim.