universal negative

American  

noun

Logic.

1. a proposition of the form “No S is P.” E, e

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Example Sentences

And the universal negative "nobody calls on her" is well met by the particular affirmative "I called yesterday."

From A Tangled Tale by Frost, A. B. (Arthur Burdett)

When the Agnostic speaks of the "possibility" of miracles, he only means that we cannot prove a universal negative.

From Flowers of Freethought (First Series) by Foote, G. W. (George William)

I can no more prove a universal negative about them than I can about the existence of life on the moon. 

From Phaethon by Kingsley, Charles

The letters I, E and O are used respectively for the particular affirmative ``some x is y,'' the universal negative ``no x is y,'' and the particular negative ``some x is not y.''

From The Project Gutenberg Encyclopedia Volume 1 of 28 by Project Gutenberg

It cannot testify to any such universal negative; and one might as well require a mathematical demonstration of the point in dispute, as to demand such evidence from us.

From An Examination of President Edwards' Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will by Bledsoe, Albert Taylor