4

3

of the universe more determinate.
Thus, I write

A pear is ripe

That represents that there is a pear and a ripe pear in the
universe.

Necessary reasoning can never
ascertain answer questions of fact. It has to
assume its premisses to be true. Therefore, in
order to avoid the possibility of questioning
what is written on the board, let us say that
it is not the real universe that is represented
by the board, but a universe existing in
my imagination, concerning which you
have no source information except my testimony.
By the universe I mean the entire
collection of things, or subjects of force,
to which I imagine there are in the universe all that is going to be written
on the board will relate. Logicians
call such a collection of things, or subjects of force, to

3

of the universe more determinate.
Thus, I write

A pear is ripe

That represents that there is a pear and a ripe pear in the
universe.

Necessary reasoning can never
answer questions of fact. It has to
assume its premisses to be true. Therefore, in
order to avoid the possibility of questioning
what is written on the board, let us say that
it is not the real universe that is represented
by the board, but a universe existing in
my imagination, concerning which you
have no source [of] information except my testimony.
By the universe I mean the entire
collection of things, or subjects of force,
to which all that is going to be written
on the board will relate. Logicians
call such a collection of things, or subjects of force, to