Which proposition distributes both the subject and predicate terms?

• A. Subject only
• B. Neither
• C. Predicate only
• D. Both subject and predicate

Answer: (D)

Distributing a term means the proposition makes a claim about every member of that term’s class. In universal propositions, the subject term is distributed because the statement covers the entire subject class; sometimes the predicate term is distributed as well, depending on the form.

The universal negative says that no member of the subject class is a member of the predicate class (no S are P). This is a claim about all of S, so the subject term is distributed. It is also a claim about all of P in the sense that none of the P class overlaps with S; that is, the entire predicate class is being described with respect to S, so the predicate term is distributed too. Hence this proposition distributes both terms.

The other forms do not distribute both. A universal affirmative distributes only the subject (All S are P). An existential proposition distributes neither term (Some S are P). The existential negative distributes only the predicate (Some S are not P).