Universa Philosophia

The word term has a signification without limit, for it signifies a boundary, the last point, and the extremity of each thing, outside which there is nothing of that same thing and within which the whole thing is enclosed. Thus Cádiz and Irún are called the boundaries of Spain, because all Spain lies between them. Logicians use term for any expression, spoken or written, that we use in propositions. Thus some propositions are said to be self-evident, to which we necessarily assent from the explanation of the terms alone, that is, from knowledge of the words. Likewise, people who are mistaken and whom we deceive by an argument are said not to know their terms. Indeed, our Spaniards call courtiers and city-dwellers who say something elegantly people who use a good term: Dizelo con buenos terminos—“Put it in good terms.”