PRESUPPOSITION Meaning and
Definition
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Presupposition is a term used in philosophy, linguistics, and cognitive science to describe an underlying assumption or belief that is taken for granted or considered to be true without requiring any further evidence or justification. It refers to the act of assuming the truth or existence of something as a basis for reasoning, argumentation, or interpretation.
In linguistics, presupposition is related to the meaning conveyed by a speaker or writer, which can go beyond the explicitly stated content of a sentence. It reflects the background knowledge or shared assumptions that the speaker expects the listener to possess. For example, when someone says, "John regretted selling his car," it presupposes that John had a car in the first place. The existence of the car is not explicitly mentioned, but it is an underlying assumption.
In cognitive science, presupposition is viewed as an inherent cognitive bias or mental process that shapes how individuals understand and interpret the world around them. These presuppositions influence our expectations, perceptions, and reasoning. They can be conscious or unconscious, and they guide our thoughts and actions without us even realizing it.
Presuppositions are often studied to understand the implicit assumptions people make and how these assumptions affect communication, interpretation, and reasoning. By analyzing presuppositions, researchers can delve into the hidden or background assumptions behind different types of discourse, allowing for a deeper understanding of language and cognition.
Top Common Misspellings for PRESUPPOSITION *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for PRESUPPOSITION
Etymology of PRESUPPOSITION
The word presupposition originated from the Latin roots prae meaning before or in front of, and supponere meaning to suppose or to place under. It entered the English language in the 16th century and evolved from the Latin term præsuppositio.
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