# Definition:Singular Statement

## Definition

A singular statement is a statement whose subject is identified by means of a proper name.

More generally, it is a statement which contains no variables, either bound or free.

### Individuating Description

An individuating description is a predicate whose purpose is to uniquely identify a particular object.

### Designatory Function

A designatory function is a propositional function which, on replacement of the operand with a constant, becomes an individuating description.

## Examples

Rain is wet is a singular statement.

It expresses the fact that rain (a proper name identifying the liquid which falls from the sky under certain meteorological conditions) has the property being-wet.

In the language of symbolic logic, this could be written as follows:

• Let $\mathbf r$ be rain.
• Let $W$ be the property being wet.

Thus we symbolize Rain is wet as $W \left({\mathbf r}\right)$.

$2 + 3 = 3 + 2$ is a singular statement.

It expresses a specific relation between the proper names $3$ and $2$.

## Also known as

A singular statement is also known as a singular proposition or a singular sentence.