Simple apprehension
Simple apprehension is the mental act of understanding or grasping the essence of something without affirming or denying anything about it. It is a basic cognitive operation that precedes judgment and forms a concept, or mental representation, of an object. For example, when you think of a “triangle” without judging whether it is a good or bad one, you are performing simple apprehension.
- Mental operation: It is the first step in reasoning, where the intellect apprehends an object’s essence or “quiddity”.
- No judgment: This act is distinct from judgment, which involves making an affirmation or denial, such as “The triangle is equilateral”.
- Produces a concept: The result of simple apprehension is a concept, which is the mental expression of the essence grasped.
- Foundation for reasoning: This initial understanding is the foundation for all subsequent logical operations, including judgment and reasoning.
- Example: When you perceive a chair, your mind performs a simple apprehension to grasp the essence of “chair.” Later, you might make a judgment, such as “The chair is brown,” which is a separate mental act.
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[3] http://www.logicmuseum.com/joyce/LOGIC-Chapter-I.HTM
[5] https://quizlet.com/26828463/logic-test-chapter-1-flash-cards/