_Subject-term and Attributive._


87. By a Subject-term is meant any term which is capable of standing
by itself as a subject, e.g. 'ribbon,' 'horse.'

88. Attributives can only be used as predicates, not as subjects,
e.g. 'cherry-coloured,' 'galloping.' These can only be used in
conjunction with other words (syncategorematically) to make up a
subject. Thus we can say 'A cherry-coloured ribbon is becoming,' or 'A
galloping horse is dangerous.'

89. Attributives are contrivances of language whereby we indicate
that a subject has a certain attribute. Thus, when we say 'This paper
is white,' we indicate that the subject 'paper' possesses the
attribute whiteness. Logic, however, also recognises as attributives
terms which signify the non-possession of attributes. 'Not-white' is
an attributive equally with 'white.'

90. An Attributive then may be defined as a term which signifies the
possession, or non-possession, of an attribute by a subject.

91. It must be carefully noticed that attributives are not names of
attributes, but names of the things which possess the attributes, in
virtue of our knowledge that they possess them. Thus 'white' is the
name of all the things which possess the attribute whiteness, and
'virtuous' is a name; not of the abstract quality, virtue, itself, but
of the men and actions which possess it. It is clear that a term can
only properly be said to be a name of those things whereof it can be
predicated. Now, we cannot intelligibly predicate an attributive of