Single Relations Between Thoughts. 
29 
It is conceded that absolute proof of values can be reached 
only by an exhaustive examination of examples. The one chosen 
in this and following cases is to be taken as offered after the 
Euclidean method, as if I had said: let the above be any 
example of the use of “ and It should also be noted that 
such cases as “ I will find him and he be there ” are explain- 
ble by a totally different method and, indeed, have nothing to 
do with the field under examination. 
(b) Discordant , employing the connectives but, though, yet, 
still. 
For example: ” He is old. But he is active. ” In this exam¬ 
ple the value of “ but ” is plainly “ in discordant addition to 
his being old. ” The two thoughts are conceived as a hetero¬ 
geneous group in the sense above established. They are also 
further conceived as discordant. The relation is, then, that of 
member to member of a heterogeneous and discordant group. 
This relation, obtained by thought-transit from his activity 
back to his age, is reverse. “ But, ” then, reinstates in substan¬ 
tive function the preceding thought. With this reinstated value 
it combines the relation. The total thus obtained is used as ad¬ 
junct in the last sentence. This adjunct is put as adverb 
with “ is. ” 
The use of the word “ though ” is more peculiar. It should 
be noted in the first place that this word is mainly used in 
a strictly prepositional function; e. g. “ Though he slay me, 
yet will I trust him. ” The meaning here is plainly that the 
trusting will hold in spite of the slaying. By its use in such 
cases “ though ” acquires the habit of regarding the immed¬ 
iately following thought as the last term of the relation which 
it expresses. Such being the use of the prepositional “ though, ” 
the use of “ though ” as thought-connective offers some embar¬ 
rassment. For instance, let it first be stated that “ X did not 
strive. ” Let it be added that " he succeeded. ” It is desired now 
to express a discordant relation between his success and his lack 
of effort. If “ though ” is put at the head of the second state¬ 
ment, the hearer may take it prepositionally, regard the immed¬ 
iately following thought as last term and conclude that “ in spite 
of his success X did not strive. ” But it is desired that the hearer 
