scalecontraries

Scalecontraries is a term used in some discussions of graded or multi-valued logic to denote a pair of propositions or statements that occupy opposing positions on a shared measurement scale. Each proposition has a degree of truth, acceptance, or strength on a finite scale (for example 0 to 1 or 0 to 10). The defining idea is that as the degree of truth of one option increases, the degree of truth of its contrary decreases, creating a monotone inverse relationship between the pair. This concept generalizes the classical notion of contraries, which in two-valued logic are opposed by universal negation (for example, All S are P versus No S are P).

The term is not uniformly standardized and appears mainly in theoretical writings that explore how oppositions might extend beyond binary true/false judgments to gradated judgments. In practice, scalecontraries resemble ideas found in fuzzy logic and probabilistic reasoning, where truth is a matter of degree and opposing positions can be modeled by complementary or anti-symmetric relations on a scale. Some formulations may treat scalecontraries as pairs that together cover the entire scale, or as pairs whose combined degrees total a fixed constant, depending on the chosen formalism.

Potential applications of scalecontraries include analyzing polarization in surveys, sentiment or attitude measurement, and debates where positions are expressed along a continuum rather than in binary terms. Critics emphasize the need for precise formal definitions to avoid conflating scalecontraries with standard negation, simple opposition, or other graded relationships.

See also: square of opposition, graded truth, fuzzy logic, multi-valued logic, polar adjectives.