I—On Propositions: What They are and How They Mean

Abstract

A PROPOSITION may be defined as: What we believe when we believe truly or falsely. This definition is so framed as to avoid the assumption that, whenever we believe, our belief is true or false. In order to arrive, from the definition, at an account of what a proposition is, we must decide what belief is, what is the sort of thing that can be believed, and what constitutes truth or falsehood in a belief. I take it as evident that the truth or falsehood of a belief depends upon a fact to which the belief " refers." Therefore it is well to begin our inquiry by examining the nature of facts.