What does the term "distributed term" refer to in logical statements?

The term "distributed term" in logical statements refers to a concept where a term is said to apply to every member of a group. This means that when a term is distributed in a logical proposition, it indicates that the entire set of elements belonging to that term is included in the assertion being made.

For example, in the statement "All cats are mammals," the term "cats" is distributed because it refers to every member within the category of cats. Conversely, if a term applies only to some members of a group, it is not considered distributed. Understanding this helps in analyzing the structure of arguments and ensuring clarity when distinguishing between different logical claims, which is essential in advocacy and debate contexts.

The other choices relate to different concepts in logical reasoning or debate but do not accurately define what a distributed term entails in the context of logical statements.