different between presupposition vs postulate

English

Etymology

From Middle French présupposition, from Latin praesuppositio, from the past participle stem of praesupp?nere (“to presuppose”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /p?i?.s?.p??z?.?(?)n/

Noun

presupposition (countable and uncountable, plural presuppositions)

1. An assumption made beforehand; a preliminary conjecture or speculation.
   • 2010, Guy Deutscher, Through the Language Glass, Arrow 2011, p. 40:

     He made one cardinal error in his presuppositions about the relation between language and perception, but in this he was far from alone.

2. The act of presupposing.
3. (linguistics) An assumption or belief implicit in an utterance or other use of language.

Synonyms

• (assumption): assumption, conjecture

Translations

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin postul?t- (“asked”), from the verb postul?re (“to ask”), from Latin postul? (“request”).

Pronunciation

Noun

• (UK) enPR: p?s?tyo?o-l?t IPA^(key): /?p?stj?l?t/
• (US) enPR: p?s?ch?-l?t, p?s?ch?-l?t', IPA^(key): /?p?st??l?t/, /?p?st???le?t/
• Hyphenation: pos?tu?late

Adjective

• (UK) enPR: p?s?tyo?o-l?t IPA^(key): /?p?stj?l?t/
• (US) enPR: p?s?ch?-l?t, IPA^(key): /?p?st??l?t/
• Hyphenation: pos?tu?late

Verb

• (UK) enPR: p?s?tyo?o-l?t IPA^(key): /?p?stj?le?t/
• (US) enPR: p?s?ch?-l?t' IPA^(key): /?p?st???le?t/
• Hyphenation: pos?tu?late

Noun

postulate (plural postulates)

1. Something assumed without proof as being self-evident or generally accepted, especially when used as a basis for an argument. Sometimes distinguished from axioms as being relevant to a particular science or context, rather than universally true, and following from other axioms rather than being an absolute assumption.
2. A fundamental element; a basic principle.
3. (logic) An axiom.
4. A requirement; a prerequisite.

Derived terms

• parallel postulate
• universal postulate

Translations

Adjective

postulate (not comparable)

1. Postulated.

Verb

postulate (third-person singular simple present postulates, present participle postulating, simple past and past participle postulated)

1. To assume as a truthful or accurate premise or axiom, especially as a basis of an argument.
   • 1883, Benedictus de Spinoza, translated by R. H. M. Elwes, Ethics, Part 3, Prop. XXII,

     But this pleasure or pain is postulated to come to us accompanied by the idea of an external cause; […]

   • 1911, Encyclopædia Britannica, "Infinite",

     [T]he attempt to arrive at a physical explanation of existence led the Ionian thinkers to postulate various primal elements or simply the infinite ?? ???????.

2. (transitive, intransitive, Christianity, historical) To appoint or request one's appointment to an ecclesiastical office.
   • 1874, John Small (ed.), The Poetical Works of Gavin Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, Vol 1, p. xvi

     [A]lthough Douglas was postulated to it [the Abbacy of Arbroath], and signed letters and papers under this designation his nomination […] was never completed.

3. (transitive, intransitive, obsolete) To request, demand or claim for oneself.

Derived terms

• postulation
• postulational

Translations

Anagrams

• attopulse

Italian

Verb

postulate

1. second-person plural present indicative of postulare
2. second-person plural imperative of postulare
3. feminine plural of postulato

Latin

Verb

postul?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of postul?