The premise
Example: The premise of his argument was clearly stated in the essay.
Definition
"The premise" in philosophy refers to a statement or proposition that serves as the foundation for an argument or reasoning. It provides the initial assumption or basis from which conclusions are drawn, as in the phrase, 'The premise of his argument was clearly stated in the essay.'
Etymology
The phrase "the premise" originates from the Latin word 'praemissa,' meaning 'things set before.' It entered English through Old French and Middle English, where it referred to statements laid down before presenting an argument or narrative. Did you know that the word 'premise' in everyday language still carries this sense of 'something placed before'?
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"The premise" appears in the Vocaplus list "English - Philosophy - (B2) - set 1", containing 105 commonly used words.
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