What Are Postulates?

Those are not postulates; they are statements.

The Difference

* Postulates are foundational assumptions in logic or mathematics accepted without proof. They are starting points for building theories.

* Statements are assertions that can be true or false and do not carry the same foundational weight.

Examples

* “All cats walk on four legs” is a generalization, not a postulate.

* “The sun is a hot ball of gas” is a scientific fact based on evidence.

* “Mammals are animals that produce milk and have hair” is a definition, not a postulate.

True postulates include Euclid’s geometric postulates or the axiom of choice in set theory.